Population ecology

Population ecology:
explores how biotic and, abiotic factors influence the density,
, distribution, size, and age structure of populations

Population:
a group of individuals of the same species that live in the
same area

Zoo 101 Dec. 2-4, 2013

Characteristics of interest
Density
number of individuals per unit area or volume

Dispersion
pattern of spacing among individuals in a population

BIDE model
Births

Deaths

Births and immigration

add individuals to
a population.

Deaths and emigration

remove individuals
from a population.

Immigration

Emigration

(a) Clumped

(b) Uniform

(c) Random

Clumped dispersion: individuals aggregate in

patches
resource distribution, availability, behavior

Uniform dispersion: individuals are evenly

distributed
may be created by social interactions (territoriality)

Random dispersion: the position of each individual

is independent of other individuals
occurs in the absence of strong attractions or repulsions

Characteristics of interest
Demography = study of population
attributes and how they change over time
1. Composition of the population
aka- Population structure

2. Rates that describe population change

Population Structure
Sex ratio
# males : # females

Age structure
% of individuals in different age groups in the
population
Age groups based on reproductive status
Pre-reproductive
Reproductive
Post-reproductive

Sweden
Sweden

Urn-shaped
A few kids
Many parents
Even more seniors

Mexico
Mexico

Pyramid-shaped
Lots of kids
Some parents
Fewer seniors

Non-growing or
Declining population

United
U.SStates

Bell-shaped
Some kids
More parents
Few seniors

Rapidly growing
population

Slow (non) growing

population

Population rates
Birth rate: # of births / population size
Fecundity or fertility rate: # offspring per unit
time
Generation time

Death rate: # of deaths / population size

Survivorship

Generation time: Average amount of time between

the birth of an individual and the birth of its offspring

Survivorship
Cohort = group of individuals born at the
same time
Survivorship- tracks changes in # of
individuals in a cohort over time

Number of survivors (log scale)

Survivorship curve

1,000

100
II
10
III
1
0

50
Percentage of maximum life span

100

General types of survivorship curves:

Type I: low death rates during early and middle life,
then an increase among older age groups
Type II: the death rate is constant over the
organisms life span

Log (# survivors)

Type III: high death rates for the young, then a

slower death rate for survivors

Percentage of maximum lifespan

Rate of increase (r)

r = per capita birth rate per capita death rate
Note that r ignores immigration and emigration

A simple model of population growth

is the model of exponential growth:

dN
dt

rmaxN

N = Number of individuals in the population

t = time

Given:
Current pop. size (N) = 100
r = 0.05/year
rN (change in pop. size)

Year

100

100 + 5 =105

105

5.2

105*0.05 = 5.2

105 + 5.2 = 110.2

110.2

5.5

110.2*0.05 = 5.5

110.2 + 5.5 = 115.7

115.7

5.8

115.7*0.05 = 5.8

121.5

100*0.05 = 5

Fig. 53-10

2,000

Population size (N)

dN
= 1.0N
dt

1,500

dN
= 0.5N
dt

1,000

500

0
0

5
10
Number of generations

15

Elephant population

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0
1900

1920

1940
Year

1960

1980

Exponential growth
Rate of increase (r) determines speed at
which population size increases

Can population grow exponentially forever?

- Resources
- Disease
- Accidents

Controls on population size

Density-independent
controls

Density-dependent
controls

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Some populations will increase, then level off.

Logistic growth
Point of population stabilization =
Carrying capacity (K)

Logistic growth
Logistic growth = exponential growth + a
buffering term that keeps the population
at/near the carrying capacity, K.
Change in pop over time (dN/dt) =
rN

(K-N)
K

Describes densityDependent control

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Remember...
2500

Population size

exponential and logistic

growth are idealized
models
They serve as a basis to
understand population
dynamics
Often serve as a point for
comparison when more
complex dynamics are
observed

2000
1500
1000
500
0
1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

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Key Concepts:
What is density and dispersion, and how do they differ?
What ecological forces might give rise to different dispersion patterns?
What is the difference between type I, II, and III survivorship curves? Can
you think of examples of organisms that exhibit each type?
What is generation time? Is it surprising that generation time and intrinsic
rate of population growth are related?
What is the form of the exponential growth model?
How does logistic growth differ from exponential growth?
How do carrying capacity and intrinsic growth rate affect population
growth?

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