Learning Objectives1. Describe the field of population ecology, what it involves and why it is importanta. The study of populations in relation to their environmentb. Explores how biotic and abiotic factors influence population density, distribution, size, and age structurei. Wildlife managementii. Species conservationiii. Life insuranceiv. Environmental impact assessmentv. Disease control (CDC)2. Understand the tools used to measure population demographya. Sampling population sizei. Census1. Total count of individuals2. Usually large animals and plants3. Mark and recapturea. An estimate of the population sizeb. Densityi. The number of individuals (N) per unit areaii. Affects intraspecific interactions1. Competition2. Finding mates3. Diseasec. Dispersioni. How individuals in a population spatially arrange1. Varies temporally2. Provides insight into the environmental associations and social interactions of members within a populationii. Spatial scale is important1. Clumpeda. Suggest positive interactions among individualsi. Protectionii. Social structureiii. Reproductioniv. Habitat variability2. Uniforma. Indicate negative interactions among individualsi. Competition for limited resourcesii. Direct antagonismiii. Territoriality3. Randoma. Indicate no strong interactions among individuals in a populationi. Unpredictable spacingii. Very uncommond. Demographyi. The study of factors that will change a population’s size through time and space1. Especially birth rates and death rates2. Migration3. Aginge. What determines population size?BIDE model!∂N/ ∂t = B + I - D - EB = birthsI = immigrationD = deathE = emigrationThree tools to measure demography: 1. Life tables 2. Survivorship curves 3. Reproductive tables3. Explain the concept of carrying capacity and why it is importanta. “K”, or carrying capacity, is the limit to the number of individuals thatcan occupy a habitat. i. As N (the population total) approaches K, r (rate of population growth) approaches 0.1. This means that the death rate and the birth rate will become equalb. K provides the model for LOGISTIC GROWTH, not exponential growth (infinity babies!!!) and helps us to estimate how many individuals can survive off of limited resources while increasing the population’s
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