population dynamics and growth;ecological principles

Question 1

what causes a species to become invasive

Answer 1

lack of predators
lack of disease
new niches to exploit
reduced competition from native species

Question 2

who do scientists track population growth

Answer 2

demography

Question 3

demography

Answer 3

the study of population abundance in varying age categories
depending on the species will depend on how population size are estimated

Question 4

scientific techniques for accumulating data

Answer 4

quadrats
mark and recapture
life tables
survivorship curves

Question 5

quadrats

Answer 5

can be set up i the field to determine the absolute number of individuals in an area

Question 6

mark and recapture

Answer 6

can assist with animals that are very mobile

Question 7

life tables

Answer 7

examine abundance in various age classes
variables can be calculated based on observed number of individuals in each class

Question 8

types of growth

Answer 8

exponential and logistic

Question 9

exponential

Answer 9

unrestricted growth
change in the number/change in time = birth rate - Death rate
dN/dT=rN

Question 10

logistic growth

Answer 10

restricted growth
dN/dT=rmaxdN/dT=rmaxN (K-N)/K
when close to carrying capacity this is zero, which means population growth is very minimal or zero

Question 11

population density

Answer 11

competition for resources would eventually limit growth; also build-up of waste would become fatal

Question 12

carrying capacity

Answer 12

the optimal size of a population that an environment can maintain

Question 13

ecological characteristics that are density-dependent

Answer 13

food
water
shelter
nesting space
mates
build up of waste products

Question 14

other factors that might control populations: density independent factors

Answer 14

weather
natural disasters
pollution

Question 15

characteristics of K selected species

Answer 15

mature late
greater longevity
increased parental care
increased competition
fewer offspring
larger offspring

Question 16

characteristics of r selected species

Answer 16

mature early
lower longevity
decreased parental care
decreased competition
more offspring
smaller offspring

Question 17

population distribution

Answer 17

uniform
random
clumped

Question 18

species interactions

Answer 18

interspecific and intraspecific competition
predation
parasitism
mutualism

Question 19

interspecific competition

Answer 19

competition between two species for resources- usually not a direct battle, but rather one species evolves the ability to become more efficient than another at gaining resources

Question 20

predation

Answer 20

when one species consumes another
this can also extend to plant/herbivore relationships

Question 21

evolved patterns based on predation

Answer 21

camouflage
chemical warfare
warning coloration
mimicry
Behavioral strategies

Question 22

parasitism

Answer 22

one species feeds off of another organism
ectoparasites-live on the outer surface of the host organism

Question 23

endoparasites

Answer 23

live inside the host organism

Question 24

coevolution

Answer 24

when two species interact over long periods of time and changes in the gene pool of one species lead to changes in the gene pool of the other

Question 25

commensalism

Answer 25

an interaction that benefits one but has little, if any, beneficial or harmful effect on the other

Question 26

mutualism

Answer 26

two species are both benefitted by the interaction

Question 27

trophic

Answer 27

feeding

Question 28

keystone species

Answer 28

skewed distribution of interaction strengths occur in food webs indicates a species whose effect on the community is disproportionately large relative to their abundance have a large impact relative to their biomass

Question 29

dominant species

Answer 29

constitute a large fraction of a community's biomass and whose impacts are large, but not disproportionate to their abundances