All flashcards
Flashcard 1: Which change best indicates increasing resource scarcity: rising death rate or rising birth rate?
Answer: Rising death rate. Scarcity increases mortality from starvation/competition.
Flashcard 2: Calculate ΔN if B=30, D=20, I=5, and E=12 for one month.
Answer: 3. (30+5)−(20+12)=35−32=3.
Flashcard 3: Calculate ΔN if B=40 and D=55 for one month (no migration).
Answer: −15. 40−55=−15 (population decreases).
Flashcard 4: What is the net population change formula including migration?
Answer: ΔN=(B+I)−(D+E). Includes immigration (I) and emigration (E).
Flashcard 5: What is the net population change formula using births and deaths only?
Answer: ΔN=B−D. Change equals births minus deaths.
Flashcard 6: What is the death rate in population data?
Answer: Number of deaths per unit time in a population. Measures mortality rate of the population.
Flashcard 7: What is the birth rate in population data?
Answer: Number of births per unit time in a population. Measures reproductive rate of the population.
Flashcard 8: Identify the most likely cause if a population drops soon after a sharp increase in size.
Answer: Resources became limiting after an overshoot. Classic pattern when population exceeds carrying capacity.
Flashcard 9: What change usually follows an overshoot when resources become scarce?
Answer: A die-off (population crash). Starvation and competition reduce population rapidly.
Flashcard 10: What does a population overshoot mean relative to carrying capacity?
Answer: Population temporarily exceeds carrying capacity. Too many organisms for available resources.
Flashcard 11: Which graph shape best matches logistic growth: J-shaped or S-shaped?
Answer: S-shaped. Shows growth slowing as it approaches a limit.
Flashcard 12: Which graph shape best matches exponential growth: J-shaped or S-shaped?
Answer: J-shaped. Shows rapid, accelerating growth pattern.
Flashcard 13: What is the term for growth that slows as a population approaches carrying capacity?
Answer: Logistic growth. Growth rate decreases as resources become limited.
Flashcard 14: What is the term for a rapid increase in population size when resources are plentiful?
Answer: Exponential growth. Population doubles repeatedly when not limited.
Flashcard 15: What population pattern is expected during resource scarcity: growth or decline?
Answer: Decline. Limited resources increase deaths and reduce births.
Flashcard 16: What is the carrying capacity of an environment?
Answer: Maximum population size resources can support long term. Resources determine how many organisms can survive sustainably.
Flashcard 17: What does a predator-prey cycle often show when prey resources increase first?
Answer: Prey rises first; predator rises after a time lag. Predators need time to reproduce and respond to prey increase.
Flashcard 18: Identify the change expected in birth rate during a period of high food availability.
Answer: Birth rate increases. More resources support more reproduction and offspring survival.
Flashcard 19: Identify the change expected in death rate during a period of resource scarcity.
Answer: Death rate increases. Limited resources cause starvation and reduced survival.
Flashcard 20: What does a population graph indicate if the curve levels off and fluctuates slightly around a line?
Answer: Population is near carrying capacity. Stable fluctuations indicate environmental limits are reached.
Flashcard 21: What conclusion best fits data showing repeated overshoots above K followed by crashes below K?
Answer: Resources are periodically depleted after overshoot. Population exceeds capacity then crashes when resources exhausted.
Flashcard 22: Which interpretation fits a sudden population drop with no prior increase in density?
Answer: A density-independent event likely occurred. Disasters affect populations regardless of their size.
Flashcard 23: Identify the most likely cause if population growth slows as population density rises in the same habitat.
Answer: Increased competition for limited resources. Higher density intensifies competition for the same resources.
Flashcard 24: Which change indicates resource abundance in data: rising growth rate or rising death rate?
Answer: Rising growth rate. More resources support faster population growth.
Flashcard 25: What does it suggest if a population remains far below K even when resources seem available?
Answer: Another limiting factor is restricting growth. Disease, predation, or space may limit despite food availability.
Flashcard 26: What is carrying capacity in a habitat, based on available resources?
Answer: Maximum population size the environment can support long term. Determined by resource availability like food, water, and space.
Flashcard 27: What term describes a resource that limits population growth when it becomes scarce?
Answer: Limiting factor. Controls population size when in short supply, like food or water.
Flashcard 28: Which growth pattern occurs when resources are abundant and limits are minimal at first?
Answer: Exponential growth. Population doubles repeatedly when resources aren't limiting.
Flashcard 29: Which growth pattern occurs when a population grows then levels off near carrying capacity?
Answer: Logistic growth. S-shaped curve shows slowing growth as resources become limited.
Flashcard 30: What is the term for a rapid population increase followed by a sharp decline due to resource depletion?
Answer: Boom-and-bust cycle. Population overshoots capacity then crashes when resources run out.