Exploring Population Ecology and Dynamics

The video explores population dynamics, focusing on how populations interact with their environment. It covers key concepts such as population growth, limiting factors, and carrying capacity. Methods for estimating population size, including the mark-recapture method, are discussed. The video also explains exponential and logistic growth models, reproductive patterns, and survivorship curves. Finally, it examines human population dynamics and the impact of technological advances on growth rates.

What is the primary focus of Unit 3 in the video?

• Ecological Succession

• Population Dynamics

• Symbiosis

• Invasive Species

Which of the following best describes a population?

• A group of individuals of different species interacting

• A group of individuals of the same species living in different areas

• A group of individuals of the same species occupying the same space

• A group of different species living in the same area

What is the mark-recapture method used for?

• Estimating the age structure of a population

• Determining the reproductive rate of a population

• Directly counting the number of individuals in a population

• Estimating the size of a population

Which factor is NOT included in the formula for calculating population size changes?

• Births

• Deaths

• Immigration

• Symbiosis

What does the term 'reproductive rate' refer to?

• The number of deaths per individual per unit of time

• The number of individuals dying per unit of time

• The number of births per individual per unit of time

• The number of individuals migrating per unit of time

What is biotic potential?

• The ability of a population to decrease under ideal conditions

• The maximum number of individuals a habitat can sustain

• The ability of a population to increase under ideal conditions

• The rate at which a population's growth slows down

What shape is indicative of logistic growth on a graph?

• Exponential

• Linear

• S-curve

• J-curve

Which of the following is a density-independent factor?

• Competition for mates

• Disease

• Natural disasters

• Parasites

What is a characteristic of K-selected reproductive patterns?

• Many offspring with early maturity

• Few offspring with longer generation times

• Short generation times

• No care for young

What historical event caused a significant dip in the human population around 600-700 years ago?

• Agricultural Revolution

• World War I

• Bubonic Plague

• Industrial Revolution