Population Ecology Review Flashcards

A collection of flashcards based on key concepts from the Population Ecology lecture for BIO 105.

What is the approximate world population in 2023?

7.9 billion people.

What equation represents the growth rate of a population?

Growth rate = Birth rate – Death rate.

What is carrying capacity?

The maximum population that can be supported indefinitely in a given environment.

What are density-dependent factors?

Factors that influence population growth rates which are dependent on the size (density) of the population, such as limited food supply and increased risk of disease.

What are density-independent factors?

Factors that influence population growth rates regardless of the population size, such as droughts and natural disasters.

What is exponential growth?

A pattern of growth seen in populations that are not limited by environmental resources, typically before reaching their carrying capacity.

What is logistic growth?

A pattern of growth seen in populations that are limited by environmental resources once they reach their carrying capacity.

What major resources are essential for sustaining human populations?

Clean water, clean air, and energy for heating and food production.

How does the American resource consumption compare to the rest of the world?

Americans consume 24% of global energy while comprising only 5% of the Earth's population.

How do natural disasters influence population growth?

Natural disasters are density-independent factors that can greatly affect population size regardless of it.

How can population size be estimated using the mark-recapture method?

By capturing and marking a number of individuals, then later recapturing to see how many are marked, allowing for population estimation.

What is the significance of net primary productivity (NPP) in human population studies?

NPP indicates the amount of vegetation produced and helps estimate Earth's capacity to support human populations.

What does the term 'demographic transition' refer to?

The period when birth rates drop toward lowered death rates during industrialization.

How have birth and death rates changed in developed countries?

Death rates continue to decline while birth rates are declining by choice.

Describe clumped distribution in populations.

Organisms are found in high densities in resource-rich areas and low densities elsewhere.

What is a random distribution in terms of population dispersion?

Organisms are spread without a pattern, often seen in nonsocial species.

What are the current global projections for human population growth according to the UN?

The projections include high growth, medium growth, and low growth scenarios, making it difficult to predict when carrying capacity will be reached.

What is one major effect of resource scarcity on populations?

Increased competition for resources, leading to potentially more deaths and fewer births.