Population Growth and Regulation Flashcards
7 cards from real Ecology practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Population Growth and Regulation flashcards as text
Which of the following best describes a metapopulation?
Answer: A network of local populations connected by dispersal
A metapopulation consists of spatially separated local populations (patches) that interact through immigration and emigration, following the Levins model.
What is the primary mechanism by which density-dependent factors regulate population size?
Answer: Feedback loops where increasing density increases mortality or reduces birth rates
Density-dependent regulation creates negative feedback: as population grows, per capita birth rates decline or death rates rise, slowing growth.
A population with a stable age distribution growing at λ = 1.2 means:
Answer: The population grows by 20% per time unit
λ (finite rate of increase) > 1 means population growth; λ = 1.2 indicates a 20% increase per generation or time step.
Which predator-prey interaction is most likely to produce cyclical population oscillations similar to the Lotka-Volterra model?
Answer: A specialist predator with time-lagged numerical responses to prey
Specialist predators with delayed numerical responses create time lags that produce the classic oscillating cycles described by Lotka-Volterra equations.
Rmax (maximum intrinsic rate of natural increase) is best described as:
Answer: The growth rate under ideal, unlimited conditions with no competition
Rmax represents the theoretical maximum per capita growth rate achieved when resources are unlimited and environmental conditions are optimal.
A population has age structure heavily skewed toward young individuals. What does this predict about future growth?
Answer: Continued population increase as young individuals mature and reproduce
A young-skewed age structure creates population momentum — as juveniles reach reproductive age, birth rates will increase and the population will grow.
Which of the following is a density-independent factor that can cause population crashes?
Answer: A severe drought that kills vegetation regardless of herbivore density
Density-independent factors like droughts, floods, or fires affect populations regardless of their size — their impact does not scale with population density.