Population Ecology Concepts Quiz

Immigration refers to the arrival of individuals into a population, while emigration involves individuals leaving a population.

The carrying capacity (K) is the maximum population size that an environment can sustain, and it varies based on available resources and environmental conditions over time.

Density-dependent factors are influenced by population density, such as resource limitation and disease, while density-independent factors, like weather events, are not affected by how many individuals are in the population.

<p>Survivorship curves graphically represent the survival patterns of a population; Type 1 shows low death rates, Type 2 shows a constant death rate, and Type 3 shows high death rates.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A population is defined as a group of individuals of the same species living in the same area and time, capable of breeding with one another.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A metapopulation consists of a group of geometrically separated populations of the same species that interact at some level.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The three patterns of dispersion are clumped spacing (grouped due to resource unevenness), uniform spacing (even distribution due to competition), and random spacing (independent distribution of individuals).</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Abiotic factors, such as water availability and temperature, can set the limits on a species' range if interactions with other species do not impose restrictions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Immigration increases population density by bringing in new individuals, while emigration decreases it by reducing the number of individuals in the population.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The mark-recapture method involves capturing a random sample, marking and releasing them, allowing them to mix, then capturing a second sample to count marked individuals and the total captured.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Population grows when the birth rate exceeds the death rate.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Understanding species range is significant for predicting distribution, studying habitat requirements, and assessing the impact of environmental changes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>GPP is the total amount of light energy converted to chemical energy by autotrophs, while NPP is GPP minus the glucose used by primary producers for cellular respiration.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Herbivores consume primary producers and convert some of that energy into their biomass, while the undigested parts are excreted, returning nutrients to the soil.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Production efficiency is the fraction of energy stored in food that is used for secondary production, calculated as PE = (net secondary production / assimilation of primary production) x 100%.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Greenhouse gases absorb and emit radiation, contributing to the greenhouse effect which leads to global warming.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Eutrophication occurs when excess nutrients runoff into water bodies, leading to algal blooms that deplete oxygen and result in the death of aquatic life.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Climate change causes species to shift their ranges or distributions to adapt to more tolerable climates.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Climate change leads to more extreme precipitation patterns, resulting in increased likelihood of floods and droughts.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Resource partitioning and character displacement are two strategies to minimize competition among species.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Biological magnification is the process where toxins become concentrated at higher trophic levels, leading to increased exposure and potential harm to organisms at these levels.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Photosynthetic organisms convert CO2 into organic molecules, forming the basis of the food web for heterotrophs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Phenological shifts alter the timing of life history events, which can disrupt food webs and mating patterns.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions on a given day, while climate represents long-term atmospheric patterns over an extended period.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Predators may develop sharp teeth, claws, poison, or camouflage to enhance their ability to capture prey.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Aposematic coloration serves as a warning to predators, while cryptic coloration aids in camouflage to avoid detection.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Human activities such as industry, transportation, and electricity generation significantly increase carbon dioxide emissions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Increasing energy efficiency is one way to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Herbivores drive the evolution of plant mechanical and chemical defenses, leading to adaptations such as spines and tough leaves.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Mutualism involves both species benefiting from the interaction, while in commensalism, one species benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A keystone species is not the most abundant but plays a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Species richness refers to the number of different species in a community, while relative abundance is the proportion of each species compared to the total number of individuals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Bottom-up control suggests that lower trophic levels influence higher ones, while top-down control indicates that predators regulate herbivore populations, which in turn affects plant communities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Trophic cascades occur when predators increase the abundance of primary producers by limiting herbivore populations, leading to ecological balance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Disturbances such as storms or floods can alter resource availability and remove organisms, impacting community structure based on the nature and severity of the disturbance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Productivity refers to the rate at which biomass is generated in an ecosystem, and it is significant because it affects energy flow and food availability for various organisms.</p> Signup and view all the answers