Ecology - 5.1 and 5.2

MANIFESTING A+

population density

number of individuals per unit area

population distribution

describes the way individuals are spaced out across their range

age structure

the number of males and females of each age in a population

immigration

movement of individuals into an area occupied by an existing population

emigration

movement of individuals out of an area

exponential growth

growth pattern in which individuals in a population reproduce at a constant rate

logistic growth

growth pattern in which a population’s growth slows and then stops following a period of exponential growth

carrying capacity

number of individuals of a particular species that a particular environment can support

limiting factor

factor that causes population growth to decrease

density-dependent limiting factor

limiting factor that depends on population density

density independent limiting factor

limiting factor that affects all populations in similar ways, regardless of the population density