General Ecology 460: Population Dynamics, Demography & Metapopulations

What is a population?

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

What does BIDE stand for?

The factors affecting population size: Births, Immigration, Deaths, and Emigration.

What is unlimited population growth?

A model of population growth that assumes growth is not limited by population density.

What are the two types of unlimited growth models?

Continuous (exponential) and discrete (geometric) growth models.

What is the maximum per capita rate of growth?

The highest rate at which a population can grow under ideal conditions, often denoted as r0 or rmax.

What is carrying capacity (K)?

The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely.

What is the inflection point in population growth?

The point on a growth curve where the rate of growth changes from increasing to decreasing.

What is density-dependent growth?

Population growth that is influenced by the population density, where growth rates decrease as population size increases.

What is negative density dependence?

A situation where population growth decreases as population density increases.

What is positive density dependence?

A situation where population growth increases as population density increases, often due to benefits of being in a larger group.

What is the Allee effect?

A phenomenon where a population's growth rate decreases at low population densities.

What is a life table?

A table that summarizes the age-specific vital rates of a population, including survival and fecundity.

What is the difference between a cohort life table and a static life table?

A cohort life table follows a group of individuals born at the same time, while a static life table provides a snapshot of different ages at one point in time.

What is the net reproductive rate (R0)?

The average number of offspring that an individual is expected to produce over its lifetime.

What is generation time (T)?

The average time between the birth of an individual and the birth of its offspring.

What is the relationship between λ and r?

λ (lambda) is the finite growth rate, while r is the per capita growth rate; they are related by the equation r = ln(λ).

What does the equation dN/dt = rN represent?

It describes the change in population size (N) over time (t) based on the per capita growth rate (r).

What is an age-structured model?

A population model that takes into account the age distribution of individuals in a population.

What is a stage-structured model?

A population model that considers different life stages of individuals, which may have different survival and reproduction rates.

What is fecundity (bx)?

The average number of offspring produced by an individual of a specific age.

What is survivorship (lx)?

The proportion of individuals surviving to a specific age.

What is the equation for population growth under density-dependent conditions?

dN/dt = r0N [(K-N)/K] = r0N [1-(N/K)], where N is the population size and K is the carrying capacity.

Who is Lowell J. Reed?

A key figure in population ecology known for his work on population dynamics; density-dependent growth in US human populations

Who is Raymond Pearl?

A prominent biologist and statistician known for his contributions to population studies.

What are population dynamics?

The study of how and why populations change in size and structure over time.

What factors cause population sizes to change?

Birth rates, death rates, immigration, and emigration.

What is the intrinsic rate of increase?

The difference between the per capita birth rate and the per capita death rate in a population.

What are theoretical population models?

Mathematical representations that predict population sizes and dynamics over time, helping to understand ecological processes.

What is total fertility rate (TFR)?

The average number of children a woman would have during her lifetime based on current birth rates.

How does human population growth vary globally?

Varies significantly between developed and developing countries, often influenced by factors like healthcare, education, and economic conditions.

What is an ecological footprint?

Measures the environmental impact of a population, expressed as the amount of land and water area required to produce the resources consumed and absorb the waste generated.

What is the demographic transition model?

Describes the transition of a country from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as it develops economically.

What are density-dependent factors?

Influences on population growth that change with the population density, such as competition for resources, predation, and disease.

What are density-independent factors?

Influences on population growth that are not affected by population density, such as natural disasters and climate.

What is a metapopulation?

A group of spatially separated populations of the same species that interact through immigration and emigration.

What is the Lincoln-Peterson Index?

A method used in mark-recapture studies to estimate population size based on the ratio of marked individuals in two samples.

What is doubling time in population studies?

The period it takes for a population to double in size, often calculated using growth rates.

What is a source-sink model?

Describes a metapopulation structure where some patches (sources) produce surplus individuals that can migrate to other patches (sinks) where populations may decline.

What is the rescue effect?

The phenomenon where immigration from a source population helps to prevent local extinction in a sink population.

What is the difference between internal and external colonization?

Internal colonization refers to the establishment of new populations within the same habitat, while external colonization involves movement into new habitats.

What role do Geographic Information Systems (GIS) play in ecology?

Analyze spatial data, helping to model populations, habitat distributions, and conservation strategies.

What is chaos in population dynamics?

Unpredictable and complex population fluctuations that can arise from nonlinear interactions within ecological systems.

What is a population pyramid?

A graphical representation of the age and sex distribution of a population, often used to analyze growth trends.

What are oscillations in population dynamics?

Regular fluctuations in population size, often seen in predator-prey relationships.

What is a stable limit cycle?

A pattern of population oscillation that remains consistent over time, indicating a predictable dynamic.

What is a damped oscillation?

A type of population fluctuation that decreases in amplitude over time, often leading to stability.

What are complex limit cycles?

Irregular and unpredictable patterns of population dynamics that can emerge from interactions within ecological systems.

What is the significance of Susan Harrison's work?

Her work on the Bay Checkerspot Butterfly has contributed significantly to our understanding of metapopulation dynamics and conservation biology; external colonization

What is the significance of Richard Levins in ecology?

Known for his contributions to the theory of metapopulations and the development of ecological models; coined the term ‘metapopulation’

What is the significance of Ilkka Hanski in ecology?

Recognized for his pioneering research on metapopulation dynamics and its implications for conservation; internal colonization

What is the significance of H. Ron Pulliam in ecology?

Known for his work on population dynamics and the source-sink model in ecology.