Population Ecology BIOL1113: Introductory Biology

A collection of flashcards covering key concepts in Population Ecology from the BIOL1113 Introductory Biology course.

Population Density

The number of individuals of a species per unit area or volume of a habitat.

Population Distribution

Describes how individuals are scattered through the habitat: uniform, clumped, or random.

Estimating Population Size

Methods include aerial photos, sampling small subsets, and mark-recapture techniques.

Birth Rate (b)

The number of individuals born per individual per unit of time.

Death Rate (d)

The number of individuals that die per individual per unit of time.

Population Growth Rate (r)

Calculated as r = birth rate - death rate (r = b - d).

Growth Increment (G)

The number of individuals added to or lost from a population in a unit of time, calculated as G = rN.

Carrying Capacity (K)

The maximum number of individuals of any species that can be indefinitely supported in a given area.

Density-Dependent Factors

Factors that exert effects related to population density, such as competition or disease.

Density-Independent Factors

Factors that exert effects that are unrelated to population density, like natural disasters.

Exponential Growth

Population growth occurring under unlimited resources, depicted as a J-shaped curve.

Logistic Growth

Population growth that slows as it approaches the carrying capacity, illustrated as an S-shaped curve.

Immigration

The movement of individuals into a population.

Emigration

The movement of individuals out of a population.

Population Change Equation

Change in population = births - deaths.

Intrinsic Growth Rate (r)

The rate at which a population grows under ideal conditions.

Population Density

The number of individuals of a species per unit area or volume of a habitat.

Population Distribution

Describes how individuals are scattered through the habitat: uniform, clumped, or random.

Estimating Population Size

Methods include aerial photos, sampling small subsets, and mark-recapture techniques.

Birth Rate (b)

The number of individuals born per individual per unit of time.

Death Rate (d)

The number of individuals that die per individual per unit of time.

Population Growth Rate (r)

Calculated as r = birth rate - death rate (r = b - d).

Growth Increment (G)

The number of individuals added to or lost from a population in a unit of time, calculated as G = rN.

Carrying Capacity (K)

The maximum number of individuals of any species that can be indefinitely supported in a given area.

Density-Dependent Factors

Factors that exert effects related to population density, such as competition or disease.

Density-Independent Factors

Factors that exert effects that are unrelated to population density, like natural disasters.

Exponential Growth

Population growth occurring under unlimited resources, depicted as a J-shaped curve.

Logistic Growth

Population growth that slows as it approaches the carrying capacity, illustrated as an S-shaped curve.

Immigration

The movement of individuals into a population.

Emigration

The movement of individuals out of a population.

Population Change Equation

Change in population = births - deaths.

Intrinsic Growth Rate (r)

The rate at which a population grows under ideal conditions.

Age Structure

The proportion of individuals in different age groups within a population, influencing future growth trends.

Survivorship Curves

Graphs showing the number of individuals surviving at each age for a given species, typically Type I, II, or III.

r-Selected Species

Species characterized by high growth rates, many offspring, short lifespans, and little parental care, thriving in unstable environments.

K-Selected Species

Species characterized by slow growth rates, few offspring, long lifespans, and significant parental care, thriving near carrying capacity.

Environmental Resistance

All factors that limit the growth of a population, including density-dependent and density-independent factors.