Population Ecology Review

This set of flashcards covers key concepts in population ecology, including definitions, theories, and methods of study.

Population ecology

The study of intraspecific interactions and how organisms interact with members of the same species.

Density

The number of individuals per unit area.

Dispersion

The pattern of space among individuals within a population.

Mark recapture method

A technique to estimate population size by capturing, marking, and recapturing individuals and observing the ratio of marked to unmarked.

Clumped dispersion

The most common pattern of dispersion where individuals group together.

Uniform dispersion

The most rare pattern of dispersion where individuals are evenly spaced.

Random dispersion

A pattern of dispersion where individuals are distributed randomly.

Demography

The study of vital statistics of populations and how they change over time.

Survivorship curve

A graphical representation of the number of individuals surviving at each age.

Generation time

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

Exponential population growth

Population growth when resources are abundant and reproduction is unrestricted; characterized by a J-shaped curve.

Logistic population growth

Population growth that levels off as resources become limited; characterized by an S-shaped curve.

Carrying capacity (K)

The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely.

Semelparity

A reproductive strategy involving a single, large reproductive effort.

Iteroparity

A reproductive strategy involving repeated production of offspring.

K selected species

Species that demonstrate logistic growth with stable populations.

R selected species

Species that exhibit exponential growth with high reproductive rates.

Density dependent factors

Factors that affect population size as the population density changes.

Density independent factors

Factors that impact population size regardless of population density, such as natural disasters.

Ecological footprint

The land and water required by each person or community to produce resources and absorb waste.

Boom and bust cycle

Fluctuations in population density characterized by rapid growth followed by sharp declines.

Age structure

The relative number of individuals of each age in a population, often represented in age-structure pyramids.