Population Ecology

Front

What is carrying capacity?

Back

The largest number of individuals of a population that the environment can support.

Front

What happens when a population exceeds its carrying capacity?

Back

The population starts to die off to return to carrying capacity.

Front

On a population growth graph, what does point D represent?

Back

The carrying capacity of the ecosystem.

Front

How do zebra and lion populations interact according to the graph data?

Back

When the zebra population increases, it causes the lion population to also increase.

Front

What is a population?

Back

A group of one species in one area.

Front

Define population density.

Back

The number of individuals of a species per unit area.

Front

What is the difference between biotic and abiotic factors?

Back

Biotic factors are living components of an ecosystem, while abiotic factors are non-living components.

Front

What is exponential growth in a population?

Back

A growth pattern where the population size increases rapidly over time under ideal conditions.

Front

What is logistic growth?

Back

A growth pattern that starts exponentially but slows as the population reaches carrying capacity.

Front

What is a population crash?

Back

A rapid decrease in the size of a population due to environmental pressures.