ESS Test Study Guide

Question 1

Population Size

Answer 1

The number of individuals in a population.

Question 2

Population Density

Answer 2

The number of individuals per unit area or volume.

Question 3

Population Distribution/Dispersion:

Answer 3

How individuals are spaced within a habitat:
Clumped: Individuals grouped in patches.
Uniform: Evenly spaced individuals.
Random: No predictable pattern.

Question 4

Population Growth

Answer 4

Death rate, birth rate, emmigration and immigration

Question 5

Birth Rate:

Answer 5

Number of births in a population over a specific period.

Question 6

Death Rate:

Answer 6

Number of deaths in a population over a specific period.

Question 7

Immigration:

Answer 7

Movement of individuals into a population.

Question 8

Emigration:

Answer 8

Movement of individuals out of a population

Question 9

Growth Models

Answer 9

Logistic and exponential growth

Question 10

Exponential Growth:

Answer 10

Rapid increase in population size when resources are abundant, producing a J-shaped curve.

Question 11

Carrying Capacity Definition:

Answer 11

The maximum number of individuals an environment can sustainably support.

Question 11

Logistic Growth:

Answer 11

Population growth that slows as it approaches the carrying capacity (K) of the environment, producing an S-shaped curve.

Question 12

Carrying capacity Limiting Factors:

Answer 12

Environmental conditions that limit population growth, such as
- food
- water
- shelter
- predation.

Question 13

Population Regulation

Answer 13

density indpepenent and dependent factors

Question 14

Density-Dependent Factors:

Answer 14

Factors whose effects on population size increase as population density increases (e.g., disease, competition).

Question 14

Density-Independent Factors:

Answer 14

Factors that affect population size regardless of density (e.g., weather, natural disasters).

Question 15

Life History Strategies

Answer 15

r-selected and k-selected

Question 16

r-selected Species:

Answer 16

Species that produce many offspring, have a high growth rate, and typically have short lifespans (e.g., insects, bacteria).

Question 17

K-selected Species:

Answer 17

Species that produce fewer offspring, have lower growth rates, and typically have longer lifespans (e.g., elephants, humans).

Question 18

Low biodiversity

Answer 18

when there are a few prominent species and a low number of other species within the habitat.

Question 18

High biodiversity

Answer 18

a habitat or ecosystem that has a high number of different species.

Question 19

Examples of invasive species and understand how they are a threat

Answer 19

Zebra mussels, Kudzu plant, Brown tree snake, Wild hogs

Question 20

Invasive species

Answer 20

are capable of causing extinctions of native plants and animals, reducing biodiversity, competing with native organisms for limited resources, and altering habitats.

This can result in huge economic impacts and fundamental disruptions of coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems.

Question 21

Habitat Destruction:

Answer 21

The process by which natural habitat is rendered unable to support the species present.

Question 22

Pollution:

Answer 22

Introduction of harmful substances into the environment, affecting air, water, and soil quality.

Question 23

Climate Change:

Answer 23

Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns, primarily due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels.

Question 24

exponential growth

Answer 24

the output increases in a considerably rapid manner as the input value increases.

Question 24

exponential decay relationship

Answer 24

the output values rapidly increase as the value of the input increases

Question 25

The carrying capacity of an area

Answer 25

determines the size of the population that can exist or will be tolerated there.

Question 26

Biological carrying capacity

Answer 26

is an equilibrium between the availability of habitat and the number of animals of a given species the habitat can support over time.

Question 27

Density-dependent factors

Answer 27

have varying impacts according to population size. Different species populations in the same ecosystem will be affected differently. Factors include: food availability, predator density and disease risk.

Question 28

Density-independent factors

Answer 28

are not influenced by a species population size.