Chap 11 intraspecific population regulation SP23

Intraspecific competition

Competition among individuals of the same species for limited resources.

Carrying capacity

The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely.

Density-dependent factors

Factors that affect population growth in relation to the population density, such as resource availability and competition.

Density-independent factors

Environmental factors that affect population size regardless of the population density, such as climate and natural disasters.

Exploitation competition

Competition that arises from the indirect use of resources, where individuals consume resources and reduce availability for others.

Interference competition

Competition that occurs through direct interactions among individuals as they prevent others from accessing resources.

Scramble competition

A type of competition where all individuals are negatively impacted equally as resources become limited.

Contest competition

A type of competition where some individuals gain access to sufficient resources while denying others.

Resource availability

The total quantity of resources, such as food and water, available for individuals in a population.

Territoriality

The behavior of an animal in defending an area against others of the same species.

Social behavior

The degree to which individuals of the same species tolerate one another, impacting population density.

Home range

The area an animal normally uses for feeding, breeding, and other activities over a year.

Mortality rates

The rate of deaths in a given population, which can be influenced by environmental and density factors.

Fecundity

The potential reproductive capacity of an individual or population.

Competition outcomes

The results of competition, which can affect growth rates, mortality rates, and reproductive success.

Inbreeding

Mating of individuals that are closely related, which can be minimized by dispersal among populations.

Population regulation

Processes that determine the size and stability of a population, influenced by both density-dependent and independent factors.

Chronic wasting disease

A prion disease that affects deer populations, leading to intraspecific competition issues.

Blue tongue disease

A viral disease in livestock that can affect population growth and competition.

Dispersal

The movement of individuals away from their birth area, often to reduce competition and increase survival.

Exploitation competition

Competition where individuals consume resources, reducing their availability for others.

Competition

The interaction between organisms or species in which the fitness of one is lowered by the presence of another.

The exponential growth model assumes

that resources are unlimited, leading to a rapid increase in population size over time. And a constant environment.

The exponential growth model is not possible in natural populations why?

because resources are limited and environmental conditions fluctuate, leading to competition and other regulatory factors that prevent indefinite growth. and the environment is not constant.

What happens to the population when resource consumption is greater than replenishment?

- resource base shrinks
- mortality increases, fecundity decreases or both
- this means that b and d are not constant
- as populations increase, adjustment in b and d that is a result of reduced resources and increased competition for those resources

Logistic growth rate

is a model describing population growth that accounts for resource limitations, showing how growth slows as the population approaches the carrying capacity of the environment.