Population Ecology Exam

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What is exponential growth in population ecology?

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Exponential growth refers to a population increasing at a constant rate, leading to a rapid increase in size over time, often represented by a J-shaped curve.

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What is logistic growth in population ecology?

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Logistic growth describes a population that grows rapidly at first but slows as it approaches the carrying capacity of its environment, represented by an S-shaped curve.

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What is carrying capacity?

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Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can sustainably support.

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What is clumped dispersion?

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Clumped dispersion is a pattern where individuals are grouped together in patches, often due to resource availability or social behavior.

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What is uniform dispersion?

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Uniform dispersion is a pattern where individuals are evenly spaced across an area, often due to territorial behavior.

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What is random dispersion?

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Random dispersion is a pattern where individuals are spread out irregularly, with no apparent pattern, often due to the absence of strong social interactions or resource distribution.

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How do predator-prey relationships affect population dynamics?

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Predator-prey relationships create cycles in population sizes, where an increase in prey leads to an increase in predators, and vice versa.

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What is the difference between density-dependent and density-independent factors?

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Density-dependent factors are influenced by population size (e.g., competition, disease), while density-independent factors affect populations regardless of size (e.g., natural disasters).

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What is a trophic level?

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A trophic level is a position in a food chain or food web, representing the flow of energy and nutrients from producers to various levels of consumers.

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What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?

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Decomposers break down dead organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem and supporting plant growth.