CHAPTER 6

Population
 OBJECTIVES
⪢ Understand that birthrate and death rate
together determine population growth rate.
⪢ Define the following characteristics of
population: natality, mortality, sex ratio,
age distribution, reproductive potential,
and spatial distribution.
⪢ List the four categories under which
limiting factors can be classified.
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 ⪢ Understand the implications of over
reproduction.
⪢ Understand that the human population are
still growing rapidly.

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 Population
-can be defined as a group of
individuals of the same species
inhabiting an area.

Population Characteristics:
• Natality (birthrate)
• Mortality (death rate)
• Sex ratio
• Age distribution
• Growth rates
• Density
• Spatial distribution
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 Natality & Mortality
Natality (birthrate)
-refers to the number of individuals
added to the population through
reproduction.
-usually describe in terms of the
birthrate.

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 Natality & Mortality
Mortality (death rate)
-the number of deaths per year, is
also important.

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 Sex Ratio and Age Distribution
Sex ratio
-refers to the relative numbers of
males and females.
-in humans, about 106 males are
born for every 100 females.

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 Sex Ratio and Age Distribution
Age distribution
-the number of individuals of
each age in the population.
-some are prereproductive
juveniles, reproducing adults,
and post reproductive adults.

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 Population Density and Spatial
Distribution
- Is the number of organisms per
unit area.
- Humans are often clustered
into dense concentrations we
call cities, with lower densities
in rural areas.
- When the population density is
too great, all organisms are
injured because they compete
severely in each other for
necessary resources.
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 Population Density and Spatial
Distribution
• Immigration
-a new individuals enter by birth.
• Emigration
- individuals leave by death.

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 A Population
Growth Curve
• Each species has an inherent
reproductive capacity, or biotic
potential- which is the ability to
produce offspring.
A Population
Growth Curve
 A Population Growth Pattern
• Lag phase
-during the first portion of the curve, the population
grows slowly, because the process of reproduction and
growth of offspring takes time.
• Exponential growth phase
-since more organism are reproducing, the population
begins to increase at an exponential rate.
• Stable equilibrium phase
-the death rate and the birthrate will come to equal one
another, and the population will stop growing and reach
a relatively stable population size.
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 Carrying Capacity
-The carrying capacity of
an area is the number of
individuals of a species
that can survive in that
area over time.
 Factors of Carrying Capacity
I. The availability of raw materials.
II. The availability of energy.
III. The accumulation of waste products and
their means of disposal.
IV. Interaction among organisms.

Environmental resistance
-all the four factors acting together to limit
population size.

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 Limiting Factors of Population

I. Lack of food.
II. Lack of oxygen.
III. Competition with other
species of disease.

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 Reproductive Strategies and
Population Fluctuations
▪ K-strategists
-usually large organisms that have relatively
long lives, produce few offspring, and provide
care in their offspring.

▪ Density Dependent limiting Factors

-limiting the k-strategists

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 Reproductive Strategies and
Population Fluctuations
▪ R-strategists
-is typically a small organism that has short
life, produce many offspring, and does not
reach a carrying capacity.

Density- Independent limiting Factors

-limiting the r-strategists.

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