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Ecology: Populations
Ecology and Populations
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Population | Group of organisms of a single species that live in a given area |
Growth rate | Change in population size |
J-curve | Graph that shows exponential growth |
Exponential growth | As long as ideal conditions continue, the larger a population gets, the faster it grows |
Zero population growth | A state in which a population's size stays the same because its birth and death rates are the same |
Carrying capacity | The largest number of individuals that can survive over long periods of time in a given environment |
Limiting factors | Conditions in an environment that control population growth |
Density-dependent limiting factors | Any factor in the environment that depends on the number of members in a population per unit area |
Competition | Competing for resources needed for survival |
Parasite | Organism that takes nourishment from its host |
Density-Independent limiting factors | Conditions that kill organisms regardless of the size of the population. Example: Weather |
Dispersion | The pattern of spacing of a population within an area |
Emigration | Number of individuals moving away from a population |
Immigration | Number of individuals moving into a population |
Population density | Number of organisms per a unit area |