Population Ecology Lecture Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts, terms, and definitions related to Population Ecology as outlined in the lecture.

Population Ecology

The study of populations in relation to their environment, including biotic and abiotic influences on population density, distribution, size, and age structure.

Soay Sheep

The closest living relatives of domesticated sheep, studied on the Scottish island of Hirta for over 50 years.

Population Density

The number of individuals per unit area or volume in a population.

Dispersion

The pattern of spacing among individuals within the geographic boundaries of a population.

Life Table

An age-specific summary of the survival pattern of a population, tracking the fate of a cohort from birth until death.

Survivorship Curve

A graphic representation showing the number or proportion of individuals still alive at each age in a cohort.

Type I Survivorship Curve

A survivorship curve characterized by low death rates in early and middle life, with a steep drop in death rates among older age groups, typical of humans.

Semelparity

A reproductive strategy where an organism reproduces once and then dies, typical of species like Pacific salmon.

Iteroparity

A reproductive strategy involving multiple reproductive episodes over an individual's lifetime, typical in many animals like lizards.

Carrying Capacity (K)

The maximum stable population size that an environment can support, which varies over time and space.

Exponential Population Growth

Population growth occurring under ideal conditions, characterized by a constant per capita rate of increase.

Logistic Growth Model

A model describing how population growth slows as it nears its carrying capacity, producing a sigmoid growth curve.

K-selection

Selection for life history traits that maximize survival and reproduction when populations live near their carrying capacity.

r-selection

Selection for traits that maximize reproductive success at low population densities, often in disturbed environments.

Density-dependent Factors

Factors that affect birth and death rates based on population density, such as competition, predation, and disease.

Metapopulation

A group of spatially distinct populations connected by occasional movements of individuals between them.

Ecological Footprint

The area of land and water needed to support a population's resource use and absorb its waste.

Demographic Transition

The transition from high birth and death rates to lower birth and death rates as a country develops.

Human Population Growth

The increase in the number of people on Earth, characterized by a slowing growth rate in recent decades.

Age Structure

The distribution of individuals of different ages within a population, used to predict growth trends.

Infant Mortality Rate

The number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births, reflecting the health conditions in a population.