Podcast
Questions and Answers
What are survivorship curves?
What are survivorship curves?
If we plot out mortality over time, we can see the changing effects of and how this influences the population and its structure.
Which type of survivorship curve is characterized by high age-specific survival probability in early and middle life?
Which type of survivorship curve is characterized by high age-specific survival probability in early and middle life?
- Type I (correct)
- Type III
- Type II
What causes mortality in populations?
What causes mortality in populations?
A wide range of reasons including predation, starvation, and disease.
How is mortality linked to population structure?
How is mortality linked to population structure?
If density increases and mortality increases, it is density independent.
If density increases and mortality increases, it is density independent.
What is the relationship between birth and death rates in populations?
What is the relationship between birth and death rates in populations?
Which of the following describes r selection strategy?
Which of the following describes r selection strategy?
What influences population structure between r and K strategies?
What influences population structure between r and K strategies?
What are limits to population growth?
What are limits to population growth?
What is meant by demographic transition?
What is meant by demographic transition?
What is inverse density dependence?
What is inverse density dependence?
What is competition in ecological terms?
What is competition in ecological terms?
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Study Notes
Survivorship Curves
- Survivorship curves plot mortality rates over time, illustrating population structure changes through development and aging.
Survivorship Curve Types
- Type I: High survival rates in early and middle life, rapid decline in later life; common in species with few offspring and high parental care, like humans.
- Type II: Intermediate mortality rates regardless of age; observed in some birds and lizards.
- Type III: High mortality early in life with lower rates for those that survive; typical of species with many offspring, such as marine invertebrates (e.g., oysters).
Causes of Mortality
- Mortality can arise from predation, starvation, and disease; ecological factors impact mortality linked to life history and environmental interactions.
Rates of Death
- Mortality rates may be density-dependent; higher population densities can lead to increased mortality due to competition, affecting individual fecundity.
Dependent vs. Independent Mortality
- Mortality is considered density-dependent if increased density corresponds with heightened mortality rates.
Birth vs. Death
- Population dynamics involve interactions between reproduction and mortality rates, influencing overall population size.
Life History Strategies
- Organisms adopt either r-selection (many offspring, low investment) or K-selection (few offspring, high investment), leading to different population structures and growth rates.
Population Effects
- r-strategy populations tend to have a high number of juveniles, while K-strategy populations show a bias toward adults, influenced by long development times.
Limits to Population Growth
- Populations cannot grow indefinitely due to factors like overpopulation, disease, and resource scarcity, concepts originating from Thomas Malthus and influencing Darwin's natural selection theory.
Demographic Transition
- Interaction between birth and death rates alters as populations evolve over time.
Inverse Density Dependence
- At low densities, certain populations may face extinction despite high mortality at higher densities; important for the conservation of rare species like flamingos.
Competition
- Competition involves interactions between organisms for limited resources, affecting population dynamics and strategies for survival.
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