Population Dynamics

Front

What is population dynamics?

Back

The study of how populations of organisms change over time and the factors that influence these changes.

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What is a predator?

Back

An animal that hunts and eats other animals for food.

Front

What is prey?

Back

An animal that is hunted and eaten by predators.

Front

What does a cyclical population trend mean?

Back

A pattern where the population size rises and falls in a regular cycle over time.

Front

How do predator and prey populations typically interact?

Back

When predator populations increase, prey populations often decrease, and vice versa.

Front

What is the relationship between predator and prey populations called?

Back

Predation.

Front

What factors can affect population dynamics?

Back

Food availability, habitat space, predation, disease, and competition.

Front

What is carrying capacity?

Back

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

Front

What is the significance of a food web in population dynamics?

Back

It illustrates the complex interconnections between different species and how energy flows through an ecosystem.

Front

What happens to prey populations when predators are removed from an ecosystem?

Back

Prey populations may increase significantly due to reduced predation pressure.