Factors Limiting Population Growth exam Flashcards
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Density Dependent Factors
Factors whose impact on population growth depends on population density.
What are examples of density dependent factors?
Competition, predation, disease, water availability, waste accumulation, and limited space.
Density Independent Factors
Factors whose impact on population growth is independent of population density.
What are examples of density independent factors?
Natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, wildfires, droughts, earthquakes, temperature extremes, and seasonal changes.
Carrying Capacity
The maximum sustainable population that an area can support at any given time.
How do density dependent factors affect population growth?
Their impact intensifies as population density increases, affecting birth and death rates.
How do density independent factors affect population growth?
They impact populations equally regardless of population density.
What is the relationship between population density and mortality rate for density dependent factors?
As population density increases, the mortality rate also increases.
What is the relationship between population density and mortality rate for density independent factors?
The mortality rate remains constant regardless of population density.
Biotic Factors
Factors associated with living things, often related to density dependent factors.
Abiotic Factors
Factors associated with nonliving things, often related to density independent factors.
What happens to resources as population density increases?
Resources become exhausted and depleted, leading to increased death rates and decreased birth rates.
What is the effect of density dependent factors on high density populations?
They have a higher impact, helping to establish the carrying capacity.
What is the effect of density independent factors on population size?
They can cause sudden and drastic changes in population size.
What is the theoretical maximum population an area can sustain called?
Carrying Capacity (K).
What type of factors are usually biotic in nature?
Density dependent factors.
What type of factors are usually abiotic in nature?
Density independent factors.
What is the impact of density dependent factors on low density populations?
They have a lower impact compared to high density populations.
What is the impact of density independent factors on low and high density populations?
They have equal impacts on both low and high density populations.
What is the main difference between density dependent and density independent factors?
Density dependent factors' impact varies with population density, while density independent factors' impact does not.
What graph shape represents the relationship between population density and mortality rate for density dependent factors?
An upward sloping line.
What graph shape represents the relationship between population density and mortality rate for density independent factors?
A horizontal line.
What is the effect of competition on population growth?
It is a density dependent factor that intensifies as population density increases.
What is the effect of natural disasters on population growth?
They are density independent factors that impact populations equally regardless of density.
What does the term 'density independent' imply?
The impact of the factor does not depend on the population density.
What is the role of density independent factors in population dynamics?
They can cause sudden and drastic changes in population size.