Chapter 6 notes

Describing population growth mathematically

n population total number of all the members of a single species living in a specific area at the same
time
r rate- this is the reate of growth; number of individuals which can be produced per unit of time under
ideal conditions (with no limits to the pop growth)
t time- this is the unit of time upon which the rate is based (NO SPECIFIC UNIT DEPENDING ON
CONTEXT)
geometric rate of increase the pop size that would ovvur after a certain amount of time under ideal
conditions is described by the formula

Nt= N0rt
Example of geometric rate of increase
-

If cockaroaches reproduce 10 offspring for each adult per 3 month of time, the
geometric rate of increase can be calculated as follows
o T1
N= 2 r= 10
r x N= 10 x 2 = 20
o T2
N=20 r=10
r x N = 10 x 20 = 200
Graph for this shows an exponential growth

Exponential growth describes change

-

Previous example projects growth at specific time periods, but in reality, growth in
cockroaches under ideal conditions occur continuously
Such change can be described by modifying our previous formula to:
o d= difference or use delta!

dN/dt = rN
-

the change in the population (dN) oer change in time (dt) us equak to the rate of
change (r) times the pop size (N)
THIS IS HOW YOU MODEL EXPONENTIAL GROWTH

Exponential growth always has limits

-

Exponential growth only can be maintained by a population as long as nothing limits

its growth

In the real world there are limits groth that each population will encounter
Eventually, shortages of food or other resources lead to a reduction in pop size

Pop terminology
-

Carrying capacity (K) = pop of a species that can be supported in a specific area
without depleting the available resources
Overshoot = when a pop exceeds the carrying capacity of the enviro and deaths
result from scarcity of resources
Population crash = rapid dieback in the pop to a level below the carrying capacity
(due to overshoot because resources have been exhausted)
Boom and bust = when a pop undergoes repeated cycles of overshoots followed by
crashes
o Example: moose ; look at graph

Resource scarcity slows exponential growth

-

Sometimes population growth slows down as resources become scarce and a

population nears its carrying capacity
This slowing rate of growth results in an s- shaped or sigmoidal growth curve
(logistic growth)
Such growth is also sometimes referred to as logistic growth and be represented as:

dN/dt = rN (1- N/K)

-

Look at figure 6.6

Factors affecting pop growth

-

Density dependent which means tht the growth rate DEPENDS on the pop
density
Many density dependent factors can influence a pop including: disease,
physiological stress and predation
Density independent factors many also affect populations. These may include
drought, fire, or other habitat destruction that affects an ecosystem (BC CLIMATE
CHANGE)

r and K selected species

-

r- selected species rely upon a high reproductive rate to overcome the high
mortality of offspring with little or no parental care.

o Ex: a clam can release a million eggs in a lifetime, with few surviving to maturity.
K- selected species have FEW offspring, slower growth as they near carrying capacity
and exercise more parental care. (K = CARE)
o Ex: an elephant produces one offspring for every 4 or 5 years but nurturing by a
herd increases the likelihood of it surviving to maturity
o LOOK AT CHART 6.1

Factoors that affect growth

-

Births = number of births that occur in the pop at any given time, rate of births vary
by species and also with stress and good availability
Immigration = number of organisms that move to the pop from another pop
Death = mortality number of deaths that occur in the pop at any given time, vary by
species and enviro factor
Emigration = number of organisms that move out of the pop to another pop

Life span varies by species

-

Maximum life span longest period of life reached by a give type of organism
o Bristleconee pines can live up to 4,600 year
o Humans may live up to 120 yrs
o Microbes may only live few hours
Differences in relative longevity among species are shown as survivorship curves
Three general patterns
Full life span if organism survives childhood
o elephants
Probability of death unrelated to age
o birds
Mortality peaks at early life
o Trees
Factors that regulate pop growth
o Intrinsic factors = operate within or btwn individual organisms in the same
species
o Extrinsic factors = imposed from outside the population
o Biotic factors= caused by living organisms. Tend to be density dependent
o Abiotic factor= caused by non living environmental components. Tend to be
density independent, and do not regulate population