Life History and Population Dynamics

Flashcards covering key concepts related to life history and population dynamics, including definitions, trade-offs, and demographic parameters.

Life History

The sequence, timing, and type of events in an organism’s life from birth to death.

Life Cycle

The series of stages that individuals go through in their life, from being born to reproducing through death.

Fecundity

The physiological ability to reproduce, contrasting with fertility, which is the rate or number of offspring born per number of females.

Trade-off

A situation where an increase in the fitness of one life-history trait results in a decrease in the fitness of another.

Clutch Size

The number of offspring produced in a single reproductive event.

Per Capita

Referring to a quantity calculated per individual, often used in rates or population-level statistics.

Demographic Parameters

Key factors such as birth rate, death rate, and growth rate that define population dynamics.

Optimal Clutch Size

The maximum number of young that parents can successfully rear to fledgling stage.

Hermaphroditic

Organisms that have both male and female reproductive organs, capable of producing eggs and sperm.

SimUText

An interactive learning tool used for understanding population growth and life-history strategies.