I. Population Characteristics A. Population density The number of organisms per unit area is the population densinty_____________
B. Spatial distribution Dispurtion the spacing pattern of a population
Can be uniformed, clumped, or random
Pattern primarily driven by resources such as food
Uniform Random Clumped
C. Population ranges A species range is its distribution across the environment.
A species might not be able to expand its population range because it cannot survive the abiotic condition found in the expanded region.
II. Population-Limiting Factors Limiting factors are biotic or abiotic forces that keep populations from increasing indefinitely.
Limiting factors are either density ind. or density dependent Density- independent factors Any factor in the environment that does not depend on the number of members in a population per unit area is a density ind. factor
Usually abiotic and include: Weather Frire Human alt. Pollution
B. Density-dependent factors Any factor in the environment that depend on the number of members in a population per unit area is a density d. factor Often biotic, and include: predation disease competition Parasites
C. Population growth rate The pop. Gwt. Rt. (PGR) explains how fast a given population grows.
Natality: birthrate of a population in a given year
emigration: number of individuals moving away from a population
immigration: number of individuals moving into a population
Exponential growth model:
Occurs when growth rate is proportional to population size
All populations grow exponentially until they encounter a limiting factor
lag time exponential growth
Logistic growth model: Occurs when a populations growth slows or stops following exponential growth
A population stops increasing when the number of birth number of deaths, or when emigration immigration
carrying capacity
lag phase S-curve
Carrying capacity Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals in a species that an environment can support