Population Ecology

What is the study of how living and non-living things interact within an ecosystem called?

• Population ecology

• Community ecology

• Ecosystem ecology

• Physiology

What was a significant factor in the spread of West Nile virus in Dallas in 2012?

• Increased bird migration

• A decrease in mosquito predators

• An explosion in the mosquito population

• A new strain of the virus

What is a population?

(in the context of population ecology)

• Any group of organisms

• All the organisms in an ecosystem

• A group of individuals of different species

• A group of individuals of one species who interact regularly

Which factor is NOT a limiting factor for a population's growth?

• Geographic location

• Food availability

• Temperature

• Population size

What is the term for the maximum number of individuals an environment can support?

• Population dispersion

• Limiting factor

• Carrying capacity

• Population density

What are density-dependent limitations?

• Factors that promote population growth

• Factors that limit growth based on population size

• Factors that only affect small populations

• Factors that limit growth regardless of population size

How do population ecologists categorize limiting factors?

• By whether they depend on population density

• By whether they are biotic or abiotic

• By their geographical impact

• By their impact on population size

What does exponential growth in a population mean?

• The population decreases over time

• The population increases by a fixed number each generation

• The population grows in proportion to its current size

• The population remains constant over time

Match the following levels of classification to their definitions:

• Organism

• All the biotic and abiotic things

• Community

• 1 individual

• Population

• All the different living things

• Ecosystem

• All the same species

Match the following

• Population density

• The number of trout in a stream

• Population dispersion

• How people or organisms are spread out in an area

• Population size

• The size of a population of bears in a certain area