Population Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

hyper dispersion

A

equidistant from eachother
-> fish schools, seabirds

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2
Q

random dispersion

A

individuals are distributed without respect to others
-> grazing wildebeest, beach clams, forest spiders

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3
Q

clumped dispersion

A

most common, clumped areas

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4
Q

what are the two types of clumped dispersion?

A

course grained and fine grained

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5
Q

what is fine grained?

A

clumps separated by short distances

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6
Q

what is coarse grained

A

clumps separated by large areas

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7
Q

what are the major reasons for animals to exhibit clumped distributions?

A

resources are clumped, behavior that facilitates grouping

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8
Q

what differences in microhabitats might influence plant clumping patterns?

A

soil moisture, nutrients, sunlight

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9
Q

what might influence an animals behavior to facilitate grouping?

A

social context, family groups, predator defense, shelter

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10
Q

what is dispersal?

A

movement of individuals away from the immediate environment of the place of birth

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11
Q

what is migration?

A

mass directional movement of large numbers of individuals from one place to the next

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12
Q

dispersal leads to….

A

gene flow

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13
Q

dispersal is _____ in the majority of species

A

widespread

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14
Q

why do whales travel to hawaii in the winter to have their young?

A

young whales are susceptible to cold

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15
Q

why do salmon leave the coastlines for the open ocean if there are fewer sources?

A

predator avoidance

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16
Q

Monarch butterflies: how many generations does the butterfly migration take?

A

4

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17
Q

Monarch butterflies: how many generations does the south-north route take?

A

3

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18
Q

monarch butterflies: how many generations does the north-south route take?

A

1

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19
Q

what is density

A

number of individuals per unit/volume

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20
Q

what are three ways to obtain absolute density?

A
  1. total counts
  2. quadrat sampling
  3. mark, release, recapture
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21
Q

how do you typically obtain total counts of a population?

A

take a photo and count from there

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22
Q

in the peterson/lincoln index for mark, release, recapture, what is N?

A

populatin size

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23
Q

in the Peterson/lincoln index for mark,release and recapture, what is M?

A

number of marked individuals in the population

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24
Q

in the Peterson/lincoln index for mark,release and recapture, what is n?

A

number of individuals in the sample

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25
Q

in the Peterson/lincoln index for mark,release and recapture, what is m?

A

marked number of individuals in the sample

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26
Q

what is the equation for the peterson/lincoln index for mark, release, recapture?

A

M/N = m/n

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27
Q

assumptions for reliable population estimates in mark-recapture studes

A

1) population is constant
- no immigration, no emmigration, no births, no deaths
- this is only really possible in short time frame
2) marked individuals have the same chance of getting caught as unmarked individuals
3) marked individual`s do not incur greater mortality
- stress related mortality
- mark-associated mortality
4) marked individuals don’t lose their marks

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28
Q

the population (N) is largely constant over the duration of the mark-recapture studies means that there cannot be any…

A
  • immigration, emigratoin, births, deaths
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29
Q

what is the assumption of equal catchability?

A

marked individuals have the same chance of getting caught as unmarked individuals

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30
Q

what type of stress related mortality is common in released fish?

A

osmotic shock

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31
Q

what is the advantage of flipper bands on penguins? why don’t we use them any more?

A

can be read from a distance, decreases wearer’s survival and breeding success

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32
Q

fish tags guide to seal predators: seals can….

A

hone in on acoustic tags routinely attached to fish -> seals find tagged fish faster

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33
Q

what is the significance of genetic fingerprinting?

A

is a non-invasive method

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34
Q

N(t) = ?

A

number of individuals in the population at time t

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35
Q

N (t+1) = ….?

A

number of individuals in that population at t +1 (1 yr or 1 generation)

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36
Q

time-specific life table shows

A

age structure at a single point in time

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37
Q

what are life table construction useful for?

A

estimating mortality rates, survival rates, survivorship curves, and average life expectancy

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38
Q

what are the two types of life tables?

A

age specific (cohort) and time specific

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39
Q

cohort analysis follows a group of individuals from the same ____ from _____ to _____

A

age-class, birth, death

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40
Q

cohort analysis is most useful for

A

short lived species

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41
Q

time speciic life table requires ______ of a population

A

age distribution

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42
Q

time specific life table is usually used with _______

A

long lived animals

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43
Q

time specific life table is a

A

static life table

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44
Q

what are some new ways to age organisms?

A

telomeres on chromosomes

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45
Q

survivorship is calculated from _____

A

the original group

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46
Q

mortality is calculated from the

A

previous group

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47
Q

survivorship is calculated by

A

I(x) = N(tx)/N(t)

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48
Q

what is I(x)?

A

survivorship index for specific age class

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49
Q

what is N(tx)?

A

number of individuals in a specific age class in a population at time t

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50
Q

mortality is calculated by

A

q(tx) = [N(tx) - N(tx+1)] / (N(tx)

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51
Q

what us q(tx)?

A

mortality rate of a specific age class at time t

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52
Q

what does N(Tx) in the mortality rate equation refer to?

A

the number of individuals entering an age class

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53
Q

what is N(tx+1) in the mortality rate equation?

A

the number of individuals leaving an age class (one older than the target age class)

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54
Q

life expectancy

A

expected number of additional years of life remaining at any specific age

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55
Q

what is e(x)

A

life expectancy

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56
Q

how many main types of survivorship curves are there?

A

3

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57
Q

mammals tend to have a _______ survivorship curve

A

type 1

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58
Q

many birds, small mammals, lizards and turtles tend to have a _____ survivorship curve

A

type 2

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59
Q

many invertebrates, fish, amphibians and plants tend to have a ______ survivorship curve

A

type 3

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60
Q

what parameters do we need to estimate future generations?

A

births, deaths, immigration, emigration

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61
Q

B=?

A

number of offspring/seeds produced (births)

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62
Q

what is fecundity?

A

an ecological concept which is the number of offspring/seeds produced

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63
Q

what is fertility?

A

physiological concept that indicates a females ability to produce offspring/seeds per unit of time

64
Q

D = ?

A

number of individuals that die per unit period of time (deaths)

65
Q

I = ?

A

movement of individuals into population from other regions (immigration)

66
Q

E = ?

A

movement of individuals out of an area (emigration)

67
Q

what are the 4 primary population parameters? (PPP)

A

b, d, i, e

68
Q

what equation is used to estimate numbers of a population in the future using 4PPP and current population estimate?

A

N (t+1) = N(t) + b + i - d -e

69
Q

age-specific fecundity rate (ASFR)

A

average number of male and female offspring produced per human female for each age group

70
Q

total fecundity rate (TFR)

A

average number of male and female offspring produced per female over her lifetime

71
Q

T/F: sex ratio is irrelevant when predicting population growth

A

false, sex ratio is crucial information

72
Q

can TFR predict whether a population is growing, decreasing, or stable?

A

no

73
Q

life tables are often only calculated for _____

A

females

74
Q

what is m(x)?

A

average number of daughters produced by each age class of females

75
Q

what is the equation for reproductive rate?

A

I(x)m(x)

76
Q

what is i(x)m(x)?

A

survivorship of reproductive females in any age group * number of daughters produced by each age class of females

77
Q

what is R(0)?

A

the average number of breeding daughters that will be produced by each breeding female in the population in her lifetime

78
Q

net reproductive rate (NRR) is represented by what?

A

R(0)

79
Q

if R(0) is < 1,

A

the population is decreasing

80
Q

if R(0) is > 1,

A

the population is increasing

81
Q

if R(0) is = 1

A

the population is stationary

82
Q

if R(0) = 1.33 for a population of 100 female lions….

A

population will grow to 133 females per generation

83
Q

if a species breeds once and dies (_____), population size after a single reproductive season (_____) is predicted by what equation?

A

semelparous, pulsed reproduction, Nt+1=R(0)N(t)

84
Q

if a population grows without constraints it is called

A

geometric growth

85
Q

if net productive rate is unknown….

A

can use lambda

86
Q

λ = ______
or ______
or ______

A

geometric rate of increase, finite multiplication rate, finite rate of increase

87
Q

what is the equation to find λ?

A

λ = N(t+1)/N(t)

88
Q

semelparous species have…

A

non-overlapping discrete pulsed generations

89
Q

what equation is useful for estimating the geometric growth of the population in the future?

A

N(t)= N(0)λ^t

90
Q

iteroparous species…

A

population growth after reproduction is predicted by exponential growth equations

91
Q

what equation is used for exponential growth equations?

A

dN/dt = rN

92
Q

what is dN, dt, and dN/dt?

A
  • rate of change in numbers, rate of change in time, rate of population increase
93
Q

what is r?

A

per capita rate of population growth (intrinsic rate of natural increase)

94
Q

how can we find r?

A

r = birth rate (b) - death rate (d)

95
Q

what is the equation to determine the actual population (N) at some point into the future (t) for a population with overlapping generations?

A

N(t) = N(0)e^(rt)

96
Q

what is e

A

base of the natural log, = 2.171828

97
Q

if r is negative, population _____
if r is 0, population _____
if r is positive, population _____

A

declines
is stable
increases

98
Q

an alternative method of estimating r is to use the equation

A

r = log(e)R(0)/T(c)

99
Q

the equation r = log(e)R(0)/T(c) ignores ______ and _____

A

immigration, emigration

100
Q

what is T(c)?

A

generation time

101
Q

what are two reasons populations cannot grow indefinitely?

A

finite resources run out, renewable resources are limited

102
Q

what is k?

A

carrying capacity, total number of individuals of a species that can be sustained in a habitat in the long term

103
Q

k is often…

A

estimated as the average population numbers of species observed across multiple years

104
Q

k is estimated in…

A

hindsight

105
Q

what happens when there is exponential growth of population past K

A

if it goes past K it cannot continue much longer

106
Q

what is N/K?

A

environmental resistance

107
Q

what is the equation for logistic growth?

A

dN/dt = rN[(K-N)/K]

108
Q

what determines the carrying capacity (K)?

A

most limiting resource

109
Q

what is environmental resistance

A

sum of environmental factors (drought, mineral deficiencies, competition) restricts the biotic potential (ability of population to increase) stabilizes at K…
–> GOOD

110
Q

name the variations in logistic growth graphs… (carrying capacity)

A
  1. Ideal logistic (smooth response)
  2. Damped oscillations
  3. Stable limit cycle
  4. Chaotic
111
Q

this is an example of….

A

ideal logistic (smooth response)

112
Q

this is an example of…

A

dampened oscillations, oscillates around carrying capacity but as the time goes on oscillations lessen

113
Q

this is an example of…

A

stable limit cycle, oscillates around carrying capacity.. constant oscillations

114
Q

this is an example of…

A

chaotic, overshoots carrying capacity a lot and then huge downfall… probably when reproduction is high strong density regulating population size.

115
Q

K in human species

A

we are growing exponentially

116
Q

What are intrinsic factors limiting K

A

population numbers (birth rate, death rate, foraging activity, over-grazing, habitat degradation, disease transmission)

117
Q

What are ways of population regulation? (before population exceeds k)

A
  1. regulation by increased mortality
  2. regulation by decreased births
  3. regulation by decreased births and increased mortality
118
Q

where is the K on these graphs?

A

where the birth and death lines intersect

119
Q

what are the mechanisms for density-dependant effects when populations exceed K?

A
  • Intraspecific competition
  • delayed breeding or reduced offspring production
  • territoriality
  • dispersal
  • parasite/disease
  • predators
120
Q

what is intraspecific competition

A

occurs when required resources such as food, space, or mates are in limited supply

121
Q

what is interference competition?

A

individuals directly interfere with others for limited resources

122
Q

interference competition example

A

lions excluding others from a kill

123
Q

what law has to do with the differential ability to secure resources?

A

law of constant final yield

124
Q

what are two types of intraspecific competition

A

interference competition and differential ability to secure resources

125
Q

delayed breeding or reduced offspring production

A

regression

  • as population increases, calf recruitment decreases
  • as number of breeding pairs increase, average clutch size decreases
126
Q

general mechanisms for birth rate reduction and population regulation

A
  • increased aggressive/submissive encounters
    -increased stress among sub-dominant individuals
  • increased stress leads to hyper activation of the HPA, alters secretion of growth and sex hormones
  • leads to suppression in body growth, suppression in reproduction, suppression in immune system
  • in pregnant females this leads to inflammation of kidneys, enlarged adrenal glands, uterine mortality, decreased lactation
  • young born to stressed mothers: low body weight, poor survival, delayed puberty, low reproductive rate
  • odour of urine from females delays puberty in juveniles during periods of high population density
127
Q

increased territoriality leads to reduction of numbers of ______ which leads to ______

A

non-territorial individuals, reduced reproduciton

128
Q

territorial defence by dominant individuals leads to _____…_____ by sub-dominant individuals

A

reduced access to resources

129
Q

Dispersal

A

members of a population disperse to regulate the number of individuals
- if you put voles and predators (or just voles) in an enclosed cage (no dispersal) bad for carrying capacity

130
Q

Ups and downs of wildlife population regulation by macroparasites:
_____ _____ are the main regulatory influence on the population dynamics of svalbard reindeer

A

gastrointestinal nematodes

131
Q

Ups and downs of wildlife population regulation by macroparasites:
although parasites do not appear to have a major affect on _____ _____, they do have a significant negative impact on the _____…_____

A

host survival, probability of a female reindeer becoming pregnant

132
Q

Ups and downs of wildlife population regulation by macroparasites:
the nematodes’ impact their hosts at the_____ level and this, in theory, is sufficient to regulate the _____…_____

A

individual, host population dynamics

133
Q

average number of parasites for fish

A

2

134
Q

average number of parasites for bird

A

8

135
Q

average number of parasites for mammals

A

15

136
Q

average number of parasites on tree

A

95

137
Q

order from in increasing number of parasites per host:
tree fish birds mammals tree bugs wasps flies beetles moths butterflies

A

fish
tree bugs
beetles
flies
birds and wasps
butterflies and moths
mammals
trees

138
Q

predators are

A

major sources of mortality in the survivorship curve for most species

139
Q

_____ _____of prey allows predators to expand - this leads to _____ _____ predation on prey

A

increased density, proportionally greater

140
Q

predators spend more time in habitats…

A

where prey are abundant, this leads to a reduction in population numbers of prey

141
Q

meta-analysis of density-dependent population regulation:
parasites and disease are most abundant in
a) small mammals and birds
b) large mammals
c) insects

A

c

142
Q

meta-analysis of density-dependent population regulation:
predators are most abundant in
a) small mammals and birds
b) large mammals
c) insects

A

c

143
Q

meta-analysis of density-dependent population regulation:
mortality from limited food is most abundant in
a) small mammals and birds
b) large mammals
c) insects

A

b

144
Q

meta-analysis of density-dependent population regulation:
mortality from limited space or overcrowding most abundant in
a) small mammals and birds
b) large mammals
c) insects

A

a

145
Q

density independent population regulation
- reduction in ____ of the habitat
- mainly due to _____ _____
- mortality due to ______…_____
- Largely _____ of N

A

carrying-capacity, extrinsic factors, severe external conditions, independent

146
Q

sun spots, hurricanes, drought, deforestation, lunar cycles and fires are all examples of what kind of population regulation?

A

density independent population regulation

147
Q

predator/prey rises and falls (hare and lynx)

A

stress from unsuccessful pursuits by predators causes stress that reduces the reproductive rate of females hares and is transmitted to their offspring, who also suffer reduced reproductive rates. the maternal effects produced by predation risk induce time lag in the response of hare reproductive rate to density, aiding the cyclic dynamics

148
Q

What else could this predation/prey rise and fall be because of

A

sunspots.
sunspots = reduced heat but greater solar output
also lines up with these rises and falls

149
Q

how long was each rise and fall

A

10 years peak to peak

150
Q

another reason for this predation rise/fall

A

9.3 year nodal half-cycle of the moon
night without darkness
moon rises before sunset and sets before sun rises
don’t understand
could affect stress, temp, cloudiness, ultrab radiation, food plant quality… causes prey to decrease

151
Q

sunspots are localized zones of _____ _____ output signify overall _____ _____ output

A

reduced heat, greater solar

152
Q

sunspots signify _____ solar energy, which _____ length of winters, meaning hares can potentially have a _____ _____

A

increase, decrease, second litter

153
Q

what is cathermal

A

active ay any time

154
Q

what is crepuscular

A

active at dawn and dusk, not in full light or darkness

155
Q

showshoe hares are…

A

cathermal, preditors are crepusular