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Population Ecology
Study of how populations interact with their environment. Includes birth, death rates, and immigration and emigration
Population
Group of interbreeding organisms in a specific area.
Birth Rate
Number of live births per 1,000 individuals per year.
Death Rate
Number of deaths per 1,000 individuals per year.
Immigration
Arrival of individuals into a population from elsewhere.
Emigration
Departure of individuals from a population to another area.
Arithmetic Growth
Constant addition of individuals over time.
Exponential Growth
Growth rate accelerates with each generation.
J-shaped Growth Curve
Graphical representation of exponential population growth.
Population Growth Rate
Percentage of new individuals divided by time.
Doubling Time
Time required for a population to double in size.
Doubling Time Formula
Quick estimate: 70 divided by growth rate.
Environmental Limitations
Factors like disease and predators affecting population growth.
Net Number
Growth after accounting for losses like deaths.
Growth Rate
(Birth + Immigration) - (Death + Emigration).
Mortality
The incidence of death within a population.
Exponential Growth Formula
Mathematical model for rapid population increase.
Carrying Capacity
Maximum population size an environment can sustain.
Competition
Struggle between organisms for limited resources.
Range of Tolerance
Limits for survival of a species.
Environmental Resistance
Factors limiting population growth and reproduction.
Logistic Growth
Growth pattern with resource limitations, S-shaped curve.
Survivorship
Probability of survival at different life stages.
Type 1 Survivorship
Most individuals die of old age.
Type 2 Survivorship
Equal mortality rates across all ages.
Type 3 Survivorship
Most individuals die young.
Ecological Niche
Role and function of an organism in its ecosystem.
Habitat
Physical environment where an organism lives.
Adaptive Evolution
Species becoming better suited to their environment. Traits make organisms less suited for independent survival.
when several species evolve from a single ancestral species to occupy new niches
Evolution is not always slow and gradual
The trait is only as beneficial as its current environment
Non-Adaptive Evolution
Changes in species not improving environmental fit. Evolution not driven by fitness advantages.
Mutation
Source of genetic variation driving evolution. Random changes in DNA sequence.
Artificial selection
Humans breed plants/animals for desired traits.
Differential reproduction
Some individuals produce more offspring due to traits.
Natural selection
Survival of individuals better suited to environment.
Fitness (Biological)
Ability to produce viable offspring in evolution.
Adaptations
Inherited traits enhancing survival and reproduction.
Variation in traits
Differences in characteristics within a population.
Heritable traits
Traits passed down through genetics.
Competition for survival
Struggle among individuals for resources and reproduction.
Directional selection
A type of natural selection favoring one extreme trait in a population.
Stabilizing selection
A type of natural selection favors average traits in a population.
Disruptive selection
A type of natural selection favoring extreme traits over average traits.
Genetic drift
Random changes in trait frequency due to chance.
Founder effect
Genetic drift from a small population subset.
Adaptive radiation
Multiple species evolve from a single ancestor.
Evolutionary pathways
Different routes species take due to isolation.
Random evolution
Changes in traits not influenced by adaptation.
Survival of the fittest
Individuals best at competition survive and reproduce.
Population change
Alterations in species traits over generations.
Productive isolation
Breeding barriers prevent interbreeding between species.
Geographic isolation
Species separated by physical space.
Temporal isolation
Species mate at different times.
Behavioral isolation
Unique courtship behaviors prevent mating.
Structural isolation
Different anatomical structures prevent reproduction.
Hybrid sterility
Hybrids, like mules, are often sterile.
Mass extinction
Rapid global extinction of species.
Background extinction
Ongoing average extinction rate between mass events.
Artificial selection
Humans selectively breed species for desired traits.
Human impact on evolution
Humans influence species evolution and cause extinctions.
Evolutionary divergence
Species evolve separately due to isolation.
Breeding barriers
Factors preventing species from interbreeding.
Sixth Major Extinction
Current extinction event possibly caused by humans.
Pre-Agricultural Period
Begins approximately 100,000 years ago.
Demographic Transition Model
Framework for understanding population changes over time.
Pretransition Stage
High birth and death rates with limited resources.
Age Structure
Distribution of individuals by age in a population.
Age Structure Pyramid
Graphical representation of age distribution in populations.
Exponential Growth
Population growth rate accelerates over time.
Ecological Footprint
Land area required to support resource consumption.
Biocapacity
Land area available to provide resources sustainably.
Ecological Debtors
Populations with higher ecological footprints than biocapacity.
Ecological Creditors
Populations with biocapacity exceeding their ecological footprint.
Community Ecology
Study of interactions among organisms in a community.
Competition
Interaction where species vie for the same resource.
Exploitative Competition
Species consume shared resources without direct conflict.
Interference Competition
Species actively deny each other access to resources.
Interspecific Competition
Competition between different species for resources. Competition among individuals of the same species.
Competitive Exclusion Principle
Two species competing for the same resource cannot coexist.
Ecological Niche
Role and position of an organism in its habitat.
Fundamental Niche
Potential range of conditions for an organism's existence.
Realized Niche
Actual conditions where an organism exists due to competition.
Think; what you grow up to do. Not everyone can be the president because of competition, so they settle.
Niche Differentiation
Division of resources among species to reduce competition.
Coevolution
Mutual evolutionary influence between two or more species.
Arithmetic growth
population growth where population increases by the same amount over each time interval
The growth increases constantly over time; the same # individuals are added at each generation.
Intraspecific Competition
Competition among individuals of the same species.
