Population Ecology and Life History Theory

Flashcards reviewing key concepts from the lecture on population ecology and life history theory.

What does it mean if the net reproductive rate (R0) is > 1?

More than 1 new female is produced for every female in the population.

What does it mean if the net reproductive rate (R0) is < 1?

Less than 1 new female is produced for every female in the population.

What does it mean if the net reproductive rate (R0) is = 1?

Exactly 1 new female is produced for every female in the population.

What is age distribution?

Proportion of individuals in each age class.

What is the formula to calculate the population size in one year?

N(t+1) = λ N(t)

What is lambda (λ)?

Population size in one year / population size in previous year

What can cause population decline?

Demographic and environmental stochasticity, habitat loss, shortage of resources, overhunting/overharvest, introduction of invasive species.

Why should we care about bird decline?

Control of pests, pollination and seed dispersal, scavenger cleanup, cultural value.

What has led to the decline in the Philippine Eagle population?

Deforestation.

What is life history?

The lifetime pattern of growth, development, and reproduction.

What is fecundity?

Number of offspring per unit time.

What are the key life history traits?

Age at first reproduction, frequency of reproduction, number of offspring, amount of parental care.

What are the benefits of asexual reproduction?

100% of genetic material passed on to offspring and you don’t need to find a mate.

What does dioecious mean?

Male and females have separate forms.

What does monoecious mean?

Male and females are in the same individual.

What does hermaphrodite mean?

Have both male and female gonads (reproductive organs).

What correctly describes a parrotfish?

Can change its sex from female to male during its life; sequential hermaphrodite.

How can reproduction reduce the probability of future survival?

Probability of future survival can be reduced by mate acquisition, defense of a breeding territory, and feeding and protection of young.

What is early maturation?

Maximize early fecundity; favored when adult mortality is high (shorter lifespan).

What is late maturation?

Maximize late fecundity; favored when adult mortality is low (longer lifespan).

If there are more offspring produced, what happens to the resources available to each individual offspring?

Little energy stored in seeds (for plants) and little energy in parental care (for animals).

What is a characteristic of plants seeds that have 1,000,000 seeds per stem?

Little energy stored in seeds.

What are altricial young?

Born helpless, require a lot of parental care.

What are precocial young?

Relatively independent from birth.

What are iteroparous organisms?

Organisms reproduce more than once.

What are semelparous organisms?

Organisms reproduce only once.

What is monogamy?

Formation of a pair bond between 1 male + 1 female.

What is promiscuity?

Mating without a pair bond.

What is polygamy?

The acquisition of two or more mates by one individual; favored when resources or mates are easily monopolized.

What is polygyny?

An individual male has a pair bond with two or more females.

What is polyandry?

An individual female has a pair bond with two or more males.

What is outcrossing?

Cross-fertilization between two individuals.

What is autogamy?

Self-fertilization.