Population Ecology -- Bio 240 Lab

What is a population?

A group of organisms of the same species living in the same place at the same time.

How do we measure how fast a population grows?

Intrinsic Growth Rate r= (birth rate - death rate)

Exponential growth equation

dN/dt = rN

Exponential growth equation used to see

It shows how population grows faster the larger it gets

dN/dt (Exponential growth equation) represents?

change in population over time

N (Exponential growth equation) represents?

population size

Logistic growth equation

dN/dt = rN(K-N/K)

K (Logistic growth equation) represents?

carrying capacity (the most an environment can support)

What are survivorship curves?

They show how likely an individual is to survive at different ages.

Type I (survivorship curve)

Most die old (humans, elephants)

Type 2 (survivorship curve)

Constant risk of death (birds)

Type 3 (survivorship curve)

Most die young (insects, plants)

If N < K (Carrying Capacity)

population grows

If N > K (Carrying Capacity)

population decreases

If N = K

growth stops (dN/dT = 0)