01:119:115 Lecture 24: Population Ecology

• School: Rutgers University
• Department: Biological Science
• Course: 01:119:115
• Professor: Beal

Document Summary

Population = group of potentially interbreeding organism of same species. Ecology = study of interactions between living organisms and physical environment. Population ecology = considered number of individuals of a species in an area and population dynamics. All populations have potential to change in size overtime. Population growth rate can be expressed mathematically as: If you express b as average birth (bn) per capita. = per capita birth rate = number offspring produced per year by average member of population. M = per capita death rate = expected number deaths per year. Change in population over time = births minus deaths bn-mn = n(b-m) Rate of changes = per capita rate of increase = rn (r = b-m) r<0 = population declining r>0 = population increasing r=0 = zero population growth. Ecologists prefer to use calculus to express population growth instantaneously. Exponential population growth = population increase under idealized conditions. Rate of increase at maximum = rmax>0 and is constant.