POPULATIONS By: Jessica Eaton

POPULAION ECOLOGY STUDIES THE DYNAMICS OF SPECIES’ POPULATION AND HOW THESE POPULATIONS INTERACT WITH THE ENVIRONMENT. PVA POPULATION VIABILITY ANALYSIS- ALLOWS ECOLOGIST TO PREDICT LONG-TERN PROBABILITY OF A SPECIES PERSISTING IN A HABITAT. LIVING IN GROUPS PROVID ADVANTAGES SUCH AS INCREASED PROTECTION AND INCREASED MATING.

Carrying Capacity O - number of organisms that can be supported in a given area. What determines the carrying capacity are things like availability of food, space, oxygen, and nutrient levels. O Predation removes very old, very young, and the weakest members of the population. It may reduce the population of the prey O Biotic potential is the maximum rate at which a population can grow O capacity.html

Thomas Malthus O Malthus was a political economist who was concerned about what he saw as the decline of living conditions 19 th century England. O Reasons O The overproduction of children O Resources couldn’t keep up with the rising population O The irresponsibility of the lower class. O Suggested- smaller family size, postponement of marriage (lower birth rate), correct condition of lower class, & improving agricultural productivity.

Reproductive Strategies O ductive_strategies ductive_strategies R- strategiesK- strategies Mature rapidlyMature slowly Short livedLong lived Tend to be preyBoth predator and prey Low parental careHigh parental care Generally not endangeredPopulation near carrying capacity Tend to be smallLarger Ex: most insects, annual plants Humans. Elephants, cacti

Survivorship O Survivorship curves show age distribution characteristics of species, reproduction strategies, and life history. O Each represents a balance between natural resource limitations and interspecific competition.

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