W11 Ch.26 Definitions

Question 1

Range

Answer 1

The geographic area or distribution where a particular species or phenomenon is found.

Question 2

Per capita growth rate

Answer 2

The rate at which a population grows or declines on average per individual, typically measured as the change in population size divided by the initial population size, over a specified time period.

Question 3

Life Table

Answer 3

A statistical tool used in ecology and demography to summarize the survival and reproductive rates of individuals in a population across different age groups

Question 4

Cohort

Answer 4

A group of individuals who share a common characteristic or experience within a defined time period, such as being born in the same year or experiencing the same event

Question 5

Exponential growth

Answer 5

Population growth that occurs when a population increases by a constant proportion over a fixed time period, resulting in a continuously accelerating growth rate

Question 6

Logistic growth

Answer 6

Population growth that starts as exponential but slows down as the population approaches the carrying capacity of its environment, resulting in an S-shaped curve

Question 7

Intrinsic growth rate

Answer 7

The maximum rate at which a population could grow under ideal conditions with unlimited resources, typically denoted by the letter “r” in population ecology.

Question 8

Intra-specific competition

Answer 8

Competition between individuals of the same species for limited resources, such as food, mates, or territory.

Question 9

Inter-specific competition

Answer 9

Competition between individuals of different species for shared resources in the same habitat or ecological niche

Question 10

Carrying Capacity

Answer 10

The maximum population size that a particular environment can sustainably support over the long term, given the available resources and environmental conditions

Question 11

r-selected (r-strategists)

Answer 11

Species characterized by high reproductive rates, short life spans, and typically low levels of parental care for offspring, adapted to environments with unpredictable resources and high mortality rates.

Question 12

K-selected (K-strategists)

Answer 12

Species characterized by low reproductive rates, long life spans, and high levels of parental care for offspring, adapted to stable environments with predictable resources and low mortality rates

Question 13

Density-dependent selection

Answer 13

Natural selection that operates more strongly in populations with higher population densities, often leading to adaptations that reduce population size or competition for resources

Question 14

Density-independent selection:

Answer 14

Natural selection that affects individuals regardless of population density, often resulting from environmental factors such as weather events or habitat destruction

Question 15

Age Structure

Answer 15

The distribution of individuals in a population among various age groups, typically displayed as a population pyramid

Question 16

Life History

Answer 16

The pattern of growth, development, reproduction, and survival exhibited by an organism over its lifetime, influenced by genetic, environmental, and ecological factors

Question 17

Abiotic factors

Answer 17

Abiotic factors are non-living components of an ecosystem, such as temperature, sunlight, and soil composition

Question 18

Biotic Factors

Answer 18

Biotic factors are living components, including other organisms, competition, and predation

Question 19

Survivorship curves

Answer 19

Graphical representations of the proportion of individuals surviving at different ages in a population, typically categorized as Type I, Type II, or Type III based on their shape

Question 20

Demographics/Demography

Answer 20

The statistical study of populations, including factors such as population size, density, distribution, age structure, birth and death rates, migration, and other vital statistics

Question 21

Iteroparity

Answer 21

Reproductive strategy where organisms produce offspring multiple times over their lifetime, investing in each offspring’s survival.

Question 22

Semelparity

Answer 22

Reproductive strategy where organisms reproduce only once in their lifetime, often investing heavily in a single reproductive event before dying.