Population Ecology

Front

What is exponential growth in population ecology?

Back

Exponential growth occurs when a population increases by a constant proportion over time, resulting in a rapid increase in size when resources are abundant.

Front

What is carrying capacity?

Back

Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can sustainably support without degrading the habitat.

Front

What happens to a population when the number of births equals the number of deaths?

Back

The population size remains stable, as the number of individuals does not increase or decrease.

Front

How do predator and prey populations interact?

Back

When prey populations increase, predator populations may also increase due to more available food, creating a cyclical relationship.

Front

What is the relationship between population growth and resource availability?

Back

Population growth is often limited by the availability of resources such as food, water, and space.

Front

Define logistic growth in population ecology.

Back

Logistic growth occurs when a population's growth rate decreases as it approaches the carrying capacity of its environment.

Front

What is a population pyramid?

Back

A population pyramid is a graphical representation that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population, typically used to understand population growth trends.

Front

What factors can affect population size?

Back

Factors include birth rates, death rates, immigration, emigration, and environmental conditions.

Front

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

Back

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

Front

What is a trophic cascade?

Back

A trophic cascade is an ecological phenomenon triggered by the addition or removal of top predators, which can lead to dramatic changes in ecosystem structure and nutrient cycling.