Biology Review - Populations and Human Impacts

Front

What is population density and how is it calculated?

Back

Population density is the number of individuals per unit area, calculated by dividing the total population by the area (e.g., individuals/mile²).

Front

Define habitat in the context of ecology.

Back

A habitat is the physical environment that provides the necessary resources such as food, water, shelter, and space for an organism to survive.

Front

What is the effect of greenhouse gases on global temperatures?

Back

The release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere leads to an increase in the average global temperature due to the greenhouse effect.

Front

Describe the clumped population distribution pattern.

Back

Clumped distribution occurs when individuals are grouped together in patches, often due to resource availability or social behavior.

Front

What is eutrophication and how does it affect aquatic ecosystems?

Back

Eutrophication is the process where water bodies become enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive growth of algae and depletion of oxygen, creating dead zones.

Front

What is the significance of oxygen levels in aquatic environments?

Back

Oxygen levels are crucial for the survival of larger organisms like fish; low oxygen levels can lead to dead zones where these organisms cannot survive.

Front

Explain the concept of carrying capacity in population ecology.

Back

Carrying capacity is the maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely without degrading the habitat.

Front

What are the primary factors that influence population growth?

Back

Population growth is influenced by birth rates, death rates, immigration, and emigration.

Front

Differentiate between density-dependent and density-independent factors affecting populations.

Back

Density-dependent factors are influenced by population size (e.g., competition, predation), while density-independent factors affect populations regardless of size (e.g., natural disasters).

Front

What role do keystone species play in an ecosystem?

Back

Keystone species have a disproportionately large impact on their environment relative to their abundance, helping to maintain the structure of the ecosystem.