ecology in the anthropocene Flashcards
what is exponential growth?
when population experiences unlimited growth. increases steadily by constant ratio. birth rate > death rate
what is logical growth?
when population growth is limited (usually because of finite resources). population growth slows as population size approaches K.
what is K in terms of population growth?
it is carrying capacity. which is how many individuals an environment can support without strain
what is anthropocene?
new geological period, starting from around 70 years ago due to human activity
what can anthropocene lead to?
increased rate of extinction compared to background level
what is coevolution? give example of method
interacting organisms evolve reciprocally. e.g. thru parasitism and commensalism
what are the tropic roles?
decomposer, primary producer, primary consumer, secondary…
what are the types of species interaction?
predator/prey, herbivory, competition, commensalism, mutualism, parasitism
what are the ways humans impact other species’ growth?
conservation management, biological control (introduce species to control), habitat alteration/lost & climate change, fishing/hunting, agriculture
how do density-dependent and density-independent factors regulate population growth?
density-dependent factors can interact with density-independent factors and limit population growth. e.g. food shortage (DD) and extreme weather (DI)
what are the impacts of age structure on population growth?
countries with rapid growth have a broad-based age structure. population will continue to grow if reproduction continuously occurs
what impacts do humans have on their own growth?
for most of human history, population grew slowly due to restraints, but for last 2 centuries it has grown exponentially due to human technology and sharing info - K has increased in the habitats we occupy
what factors affect future human population growth?
food, water, healthcare, education, contraceptive use, economics, culture
what do density-dependent and independent factors rely on?
DD’s influence increases/decrease with changes in population. population size does not affect DI
what are the other factors affecting population growth?
fecundity, generation time, age structure
