Populations Vocabulary

exponential growth

dramatic increase in population over a short period of time due to optimal/ideal conditions

logistic growth

Population growth that is characterized by a period of slow growth, followed by a period of fast growth, followed by another period of almost no growth due to limited resources.

carrying capacity

Largest number of individuals of a population that a environment can support

limiting factor

A general term for an environmental factor that limits the growth and size of a population.

density independent factors

limiting factor that affects all populations in similar ways, regardless of population size

density dependent factors

factor that limits a population more as population density increases

Immigration

Movement of individuals into a population

Emigration

movement of individuals out of a population

population crash

dramatic decline in the size of a population over a short period of time

invasive species

plants and animals that have migrated to places where they are not native

human activities, natural disasters

density-independent factors

competition, predation, disease

density-dependent factors