Population Dynamics and Species Interactions

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to population dynamics, species interactions, and ecological principles discussed in the lecture.

Type I Survivorship Curve

Characteristic of species where most individuals survive to old age; typically seen in large mammals.

Type II Survivorship Curve

Species where the death rate is constant throughout life.

Type III Survivorship Curve

Species with high mortality rates for young individuals; many die early, but those that survive live longer.

Population Age Distribution

A biologist determines it by calculating the proportion of individuals in various age classes.

Population Dynamics

The study of how populations change over time due to factors such as birth, death, and migration.

Net Reproductive Rate (R0)

The average number of offspring that an individual produces over its lifetime.

Density-Dependent Factors

Factors that affect population growth based on the population size, such as competition and predation.

Density-Independent Factors

Factors affecting population growth regardless of population size, such as natural disasters.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely.

Ecology of Fear

A concept that describes how the presence of predators alters the behavior of their prey, often leading to changes in survival rates.

Mutualism

A type of interaction where both species involved benefit from the relationship.

Exponential Growth

Population growth that occurs under ideal, unlimited conditions, leading to a rapid increase in numbers.

Intraspecific Competition

Competition among individuals of the same species for limited resources.

Interspecific Competition

Competition between individuals of different species for the same resources.

Exploitative Interactions

Interactions where one species benefits at the expense of another, such as predation, parasitism, and competition.

Competitive Exclusion Principle

The principle stating that two species competing for the same resource cannot coexist indefinitely.

Fecundity

The reproductive capacity of an individual or population, often measured in the number of offspring produced.

Life History Traits

Characteristics and strategies that organisms employ to reproduce and survive within their environments.

Mycorrhizae

Symbiotic associations between fungi and plant roots that enhance nutrient uptake.

Pathogens

Organisms that cause disease in their hosts.

Predation

An interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and consumes another organism, the prey.

Parasitism

A relationship in which one organism benefits at the expense of another, often harming it.