Wildlife Population Dynamics and Mating Systems

Vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental concepts in wildlife population dynamics, mating strategies, reproductive rates, growth models, and harvest management principles.

Population

A group of interacting individuals of the same species living in a given area at a given time.

Polygamy

A mating system defined as having many mates.

Polyandry

A mating system featuring one female to several males, commonly found in birds and insects.

Polygyny

A mating system featuring one male to several females.

Monogamy

A mating system involving seasonal or lifetime pair bonding, such as in Bald Eagles.

Promiscuity

Indiscriminate mating where individuals mate all the time.

Population Abundance ($N$)

The number of individuals of a species that occupy a particular area.

Density

The population abundance divided by area, expressed as $\text{Density} = \frac{N}{\text{area}}$.

Birth Rate (Natality Rate)

The number of births per number of individuals in a population over a specified period of time.

Mortality Rate (Death Rate)

The number or proportion of a population dying over a specified time period.

Fecundity

The physical ability to reproduce, measured by the number of eggs produced per female.

Fertility

The percentage of a female's eggs that are fertile.

Production

The actual number of surviving offspring produced by a population.

Recruitment

The number of new individuals reaching breeding age in the population.

Fitness

The relative ability of an individual or population to survive, reproduce, and pass on genetic material in an environment.

Dispersal

The movement of individuals from one location (such as birth population or current population) to another.

Immigration Rate

The number of animals entering a population over a specified time period.

Emigration Rate

The number of animals leaving a population over a specified time period.

Exponential Growth

A population growth model that occurs when a population is never limited by resources.

Biotic Potential ($r$)

The maximum rate at which populations can grow when no resources are limiting, calculated as maximum births ($b$) minus minimum deaths ($d$), or $r = b - d$.

r-selected Life History Strategies

Adaptations for rapid population growth characterized by rapid reproduction, high mortality, rapid generational turnover, good dispersal, low parental investment, many offspring, and poor competitive ability in unstable habitats.

Carrying Capacity ($K$)

The maximum number of individuals in a population that a habitat can sustain.

K-selected Life Histories

Adaptations suited for stable habitats characterized by intense resource competition, low reproductive rates, few offspring, and high investment/effort into young.

Biomass

The total mass of organisms per area or volume.

Maximum Sustained Yield (MSY)

The maximum number of animals that can be harvested each year, achieved when populations are maintained at approximately $\frac{1}{2}K$.

Density-dependent Factors

Factors that cause higher mortality or reduced birth rates as a population becomes more dense, including resource availability, predation, and disease.

Density-independent Factors

Factors that operate independently of population density, such as weather and accidents.