Introduction to Ecology

These flashcards cover key concepts and definitions related to ecology from the lecture notes.

Populations are typically defined as a distinct group of individuals of the same species, in the same place and at the same __.

time.

Population properties include

size, density, population structure, and dynamics.

Population dynamics can be written as: Nt+1 = Nt + (births + __) – (immigration + emigration).

deaths

_ are subdivisions of a population, separated in some way but still interacting.

Metapopulations

A community is an assemblage of populations of different __ in a given and at the same _

species, place, time

The largest scale typically examined in ecology is the __.

ecosystem.

_ refers to the number of offspring per unit time.

Fecundity

__ can all influence ecosystems.

Individual birth, survival, growth, reproduction, and death.

Aspects of evolution driven by ecology are:

competitors, predators, prey, climate, shelter, temperatures, diseases. Ecology can be examined at the genetic level through changes in allele frequencies due to these factors.

Interpreting growth rate from population pyramids

.A pyramid with a wide base and a narrow top suggests a high birth rate and potential for rapid population growth, indicative of a youthful population. Conversely, a more rectangular shape indicates low birth and death rates, suggesting slower growth, while an inverted pyramid suggests an aging population with a declining growth rate.