APES Unit 3 Review

Front

What is a density-independent limiting factor?

Back

A density-independent limiting factor is a factor that affects population size regardless of the population's density, such as natural disasters.

Front

What is uniform dispersion in ecology?

Back

Uniform dispersion is a pattern of spacing where individuals are evenly distributed in an area, often due to territorial behavior.

Front

What characterizes Stage 3 of the Demographic Transition Model (DTM)?

Back

In Stage 3 of the DTM, both the birth rate and death rate are decreasing, leading to population growth.

Front

What are r-strategists?

Back

R-strategists are organisms that reproduce rapidly in unstable environments, do not care for their young, and are often preyed upon.

Front

What does carrying capacity refer to in ecology?

Back

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

Front

What is a density-dependent limiting factor?

Back

A density-dependent limiting factor is a factor that affects population size in relation to the population's density, such as competition or disease.

Front

Define clumped dispersion.

Back

Clumped dispersion is a pattern where individuals are grouped together in patches, often due to resource availability.

Front

What is the significance of the carrying capacity in population ecology?

Back

The carrying capacity indicates the maximum number of individuals that an environment can support, influencing population dynamics.

Front

What is the difference between k-strategists and r-strategists?

Back

K-strategists invest more in fewer offspring and provide parental care, while r-strategists produce many offspring with little to no care.

Front

What does the term 'biological magnification' mean?

Back

Biological magnification refers to the increasing concentration of toxins in organisms at each successive level of the food chain.