Population Ecology Practice 2024

Front

What is carrying capacity?

Back

The maximum number of individuals of a particular species that an environment can support sustainably.

Front

What does the yellow line in a population graph typically represent?

Back

Carrying capacity.

Front

What type of growth model is characterized by an initial exponential growth followed by a plateau?

Back

Logistic growth model.

Front

What happens to populations when a disease reduces the number of individuals in a species?

Back

Populations of other organisms that rely on the same resources may increase.

Front

What are density-dependent limiting factors?

Back

Factors that affect population size in relation to the population's density, such as competition, predation, and disease.

Front

What are density-independent limiting factors?

Back

Factors that affect population size regardless of the population's density, such as natural disasters.

Front

How does a population respond when it exceeds its carrying capacity?

Back

Density-dependent limiting factors will cause the population to decrease back below carrying capacity.

Front

What is exponential growth?

Back

A growth pattern where the population size increases rapidly in proportion to the current size, typically when resources are unlimited.

Front

What is logistic growth?

Back

A growth pattern where the population size increases rapidly at first and then levels off as it approaches the carrying capacity.

Front

What role do predators play in population ecology?

Back

Predators can regulate the population size of their prey, contributing to the balance of ecosystems.