Population Ecology Flashcards
(21 cards)
What is the difference between isolated and connected patches?
Higher extinction rates in isolated patches
What is a population?
Group of the same species in the same place at the same time.
What factors affect population size?
pop. size, structures, and dynamics
What is biogeography?
geographic distribution of organisms
What is species range limited by?
Physical(abiotic) conditions and biotic factors, and dispersal history
What is random distribution within a population?
No clear pattern
What is clustered distribution within a population?
When resource distribution or benefit of proximity
What is uniformed distribution?
Resources limited or benefit of distance from others
What are the factors that change population size?
Births, deaths, immigration, emigration
What is density independent growth?
Exponential growth
What is density dependent growth? (also referred to as logistic growth)
When the carrying capacity stops the exponential growth
What is carrying capacity?
Maximum population a give environment can support, can change over time
What is a life table?
Table that shows the probability of reproducing and considers females only.
What information should be obtained from a life table?
Patterns in fecundity, whether a population will grow or shrink, and type of survivorship
What is type 1 survivorship?
High early survivorship but low survivorship late in life
What is type 2 survivorship?
Steady survivorship throughout life
What is type 3 survivorship?
Low early survivorship but high after maturity
What are density dependent factors?
Food, shelter, nutrients, access to sunlight, disease
What are density independent factors?
Drought, fire, floods, temperature
What do predators often stabilize?
Prey populations
What is a metapopulation?
Independent populations joined by occasional immigrants
