Population ecology

Figure 52.0 Monarch butterflies

Population Dynamics
Interactions Between Biotic and Abiotic
Stability And Fluctuations
Large Animals - Moose
Small Animals Dungeness Crabs

Metapopulations and Immigration

Linked Populations
Isolated Populations

Population Cycles
Lemmings 3-4 Years
10 Year Snowshoe Hare/Lynx

Large Fluctuations

Dungeness Crabs

Metapopulations and
Immigration

Predator/Prey
10 Year Cycle

Population Dynamics
Characteristics of Dynamics
Size
Density
Dispersal
Immigration
Emigration
Births
Deaths
Survivorship

MEASURING DENSITY
Density Number of individuals per unit
of area.
Determination of Density
Counting Individuals
Estimates By Counting Individuals
Estimates By Indirect Indicators
Mark-recapture Method
N = (Number Marked) X (Catch Second Time)
Number Of Marked Recaptures

Dispersion
Pattern of spacing among individuals
within the boundaries of the population
Common dispersion = clumped

PATTERN OF DISPERSION
UNIFORM

CLUMPED

RANDOM

Clumped Dispersion

Uniform and Random Dispersion

Random

Uniform

Population size

per capita rate of increase ,r = b d

b = birth rate
d = death rate
Zero Population Size (ZPS)..?

Death rate < Birth rate

Birth Rate = Death Rate

Death Rate > Birth Rate

Intrinsic rate

Exponential population growth

Carrying capacity
Logistic population growth- S shape sigmoid
curve

Exponential population growth

A.k.a Geometric
population growth
dN = r max N
dt
Population (no
limit)
Assume : resources
unlimited

Carrying capacity
Symbolized as K
Maximum population size that
environment can sustain

Logistic population growth

Known as S shape
sigmoid curve
Effected of a limiting
factor (carrying
capacity of env.)

Density- dependent
Death rise, birth falls, population density
rise.

Density independent
Death / birth does not change with
population density

Density Dependent
Growth Factors
Territoriality
Disease/Health
Predation
Competition
Toxic Waste
Intrinsic
Factors

Density Independent
Factors
Catastrophes
Weather - Hot, Cold, Dry
Extremes
Natural in Many Species

Mixed Density Dependent and

Density Independent Interactions

Influence factors in population

density
Density dependent :
a.Interspecific and intraspecific competition
b.Interference and exploitation competition
Density- independent :
a. Abiotic factors

 Interspecific competition competition of

limited resources between two or more
different species
Intraspecific competition - competition of
limited resources between same species

Interference
+/- interaction between different species to
get limited resources
Exploitation
Interaction in which one species either
reduces or more efficiently uses a
resource and therefore depletes the
availability of the resource for the other
species

Abiotic factors

Physical factor

Exp: Vulpia
membranacea
mortal cause by
drought stress

DEMOGRAPHY
The study of the vital statistics of a population
and how they change over time.
Factors that influence population density and
dispersion patterns:
a.The Birth And Death Rates Of A
Population. (Vital Statistics)
b.Age Structure - Relative Number
Of Individuals Of Each Age In The
Population.
c.Generation Time
d.Sex Ratio

LIFE TABLES
Life Tables Age specific summary
of the survival pattern of a population
Look at cohorts = a group of individuals of
the same age, from birth until all are death

SURVIVORSHIP CURVES
Plots the number or percentage of a
cohort alive at each age

Plot Of The Numbers In A Cohort

Still Alive At Each Age.
Type I
Type II
Type III

Survivorship Data for Male and

Female Beldings Ground Squirrel

 Survivorship curves can be classified into three

general types
Type I: low death rates during early and middle
life, then an increase in death rates among older
age groups
Type II: the death rate is constant over the
organisms life span
Type III: high death rates for the young, then a
slower death rate for survivors

Many species are intermediate to these curves

2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

Number of survivors (log scale)

Figure 53.6

1,000

100
II
10
III
1

50
Percentage of maximum life span

100

Per Capita Rate of Increase

Change in
Immigrants
Emigrants
population Births entering Deaths leaving
size
population
population

If immigration and emigration are ignored, a

populations growth rate (per capita increase)
equals birth rate minus death rate

2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

Evolution and Life History

Diversity
Species that exhibit semelparity, or big-bang
reproduction, reproduce once and die
Species that exhibit iteroparity, or repeated
reproduction, produce offspring repeatedly
Highly variable or unpredictable environments
likely favor big-bang reproduction, while
dependable environments may favor repeated
reproduction

2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

Semelparity

Harsh, unpredictable
environment.

Trade-offs and Life Histories

Organisms have finite resources, which may lead
to trade-offs between survival and reproduction
For example, there is a trade-off between survival
and paternal care in European kestrels

2011 Pearson Education, Inc.

Factors That Influence

Life Histories: Trade offs
Allocation Of Limited Resources
Cost of Parental Care
Benefits of Parental Care
Size of Propagule (Reproductive unit) and
Number Produced
Age Of First Reproduction

Many vs. Few

Many very small seed.

A few very large seed

POPULATION CYCLES
HUMAN POPULATION
1650 - 500,000,000
1850 - ONE BILLION
1930 - TWO BILLION
1975 - FOUR BILLION
2017 - EIGHT BILLION

Human Population Growth

Human Growth Rate

UNITED STATES POPULATION

Age Structure

Figure 53.24

Rapid growth

Slow growth

No growth

Afghanistan

United States

Italy

Male

Male
Female
Age
85+
8084
7579
7074
6569
6064
5559
5054
4549
4044
3539
3034
2529
2024
1519
10 8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 8 10 8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6
1014
Percent of population
59 Percent of population
04
Female

Male
Female
Age
85+
8084
7579
7074
6569
6064
5559
5054
4549
4044
3539
3034
2529
2024
1519
8
8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 8
1014
Percent of population
59
04

Infant Mortality/Life Expectancy

Global Carrying Capacity

UN Prediction of 7.5 to 10.3 billion by 2050
Leeuwenhoek 13.4 Billion - 1679
Estimates from one trillion to one billion
Very difficult to predict
Ecological footprint
1.7 Hectares/Person
Ecological Capacity Footprint to Available
Capacity US 8.4/6.2 ha/person

Air pollution
Pollution = introduction of contaminant,
cause instability, harm or disorder
Pollutants/ contaminants = CO2, CO etc..
sources = anthropogenic and natural

CO2 & greenhouse effect

Greenhouse effects
High concentration of CO2, change earth heat
budget
CO2 absorb and intercept infrared radiation,
rereflect some back to earth
21st century, CO2 concentration will be double,
increase average global tempt.(5 Celsius)
Have been occurred during prehistoric time
Can cause many problem, such as??

Ozone depletion
Ozone (O3)layer- situated in stratosphere
Thinning since mid-1970

 Ozone destruction-mainly from

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Will reduce ozone layer to molecular O 2
Cl + O3
ClO + ClO

ClO + O2
2Cl + O2

Ozone depletion effects

Scientist expect skin cancer, cataracts,
unpredictable effect on crops, etc..
Causing DNA damage in plants
Arise of Montreal protocol

Montreal protocol
Since1987, 190 nations have signed into it
Treaty regulates the use of ozonedepleting chemical
Cause the chlorine concentration be
stabile in stratosphere
However, chlorine still remain to influence
ozone layer at least 50 years

Acid rain

 Occur since Industrial Revolution

Can cause acid precipitation- rain, snow,
sleet of fog (pH <5.2)
Effect the river and stream- lower the pHaffect soil chemistry and nutrient
availability

Study case
1960s eastern canada lake dwelling
organisms were dying cause of air
pollution
Lake & stream in soutern Norway &
sweden losing fish- cause by acid rain
Terrestrial ecosystem calcium & other
nutrient leach from soil
Can leach nutrient directly from leaves