Chapter 13: POPULATION ECOLOGY

Edited by : NJ.NS.MMAP.WSWO Disember 2015

1. Match the following term with its respective description;

Population An increase in the size of a population over time (natality >
mortality / immigration > emigration)
Population Ecology Group of individuals of the same species that live in the same
habitat at the same time
Studies interactions between members of a population &
Population Growth
examines factors that affect population size (growth) &
composition

2. Using words in the box given, describe the factors affecting population growth
Natality Carrying capacity Biotic potential (r) Mortality Environmental resistance

i) Environmental factors (biotic/abiotic) are factors that limit growth of the population from
achieving its biotic potential (r)
ii) Carrying capacity is the maximum population size that a particular environment can support
iii) Biotic potential is the maximum number of offspring an organism can produce under ideal
condition.
iv) Natality is the number of offspring produced per amount of time (birth rate)
v) Mortality is the number of individuals dying per amount of time (death rate)
3. Explain the factors affecting population growth
a. Biotic potential (r) b. Environmental resistance

 Gives the maximum rate of population  Limits the size of population

growth  Why? Large population size leads to
 Environmental resistances are absent depletion of resources and accumulation of
Eg: population density is low and waste products
resources are plentiful  Growth rate slows down to zero (number of
 All individuals survived and reproduced at new individual produce equals to number of
maximum rate individuals died) causing population to
 Dependent on: achieve stable size.
a) the age beginning of reproduction  Eg:
b) how often reproduction occurs i) Competition for resources : food,light &
and shelter
c) how many offspring are born at a ii) Accumulation of toxic waste
time iii) Stress
d) survival rate of offspring. iv) Predation
v) Spread of disease/parasitism

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Chapter 13: POPULATION ECOLOGY
Edited by : NJ.NS.MMAP.WSWO Disember 2015
c. Carrying capacity
 Limits the population growth after initial 
exponential period
 Subjected to limiting factors such as
environmental resistance (eg: resources, 
intraspecific and interspecific interaction,
size of population/community & amount of 
resources each individual is consuming).
 Achieved when growth rate maintained at
steady level (equilibrium between natality
and mortality is achieved)
 Changes with changing environment
 Importance:
i) To limit population size-prevent depletion of
natural capital
ii) Ecosystem management - to determine the
level of population or community that can be
supported by an ecosystem & to measure
the max level of stress that an ecosystem
can withstand
4. Describe the 2 types of curve that explain the trend in population growth in a given time, give
example for each curve
Exponential growth curve
Shape : J-shaped
Growth is unlimited and increase exponentially
Environmental resistances is not limiting
Slow growth at start then increases rapidly as the
number of reproducing individuals increases
E.g : Human population
Carrying capacity
Environmental
resistance starts
to have an effect
d. Natality & Mortality
Increase in population size only takes places
if the rate of natality is higher compared to
the rate of mortality
Decrease in population size if the rate of
mortality is higher than the rate of natality
Population will achieved stable size if the
rate of natality is equal to the rate of mortality
(net growth/ growth rate is zero)
• If natality > mortality :
Population size increases
• If mortality > natality :
Population size decreases
• If natality = mortality :
Population size is stable
Logistic growth curve
Shaped : S-shaped
Growth is limited and then stabilizes subjected
to the carrying capacity of the particular
environment
Environmental resistance is limiting
Eg: Growth of Paramecium sp. in the lab
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Chapter 13: POPULATION ECOLOGY
Edited by : NJ.NS.MMAP.WSWO Disember 2015
4. Based on J-curve and S-curve description table, identify the similarities and difference by
highlighting the similarities.
J-curve
i) Can be describe in two main phases : lag
phase (slow growth) and log phase
(exponential growth)
ii) Initial growth rate is slow (due to small
number of reproducing individual in the
original population)
iii) Later, rapid increase in population size
over short period of time
iv) Exponential growth at/near biotic potential
due to absence of environmental
resistance
v) Describe growth in ideal condition.
Summary :
1. Lag phase
Population size increase slowly
2. Log/exponential phase
Population size increase rapidly over time
S-curve
i) Can be described in 5 main phases : lag
phase, log/exponential phase, decelerating
phase & stationary/ equilibrium phase .
ii) Initial growth rate is slow (known as lag phase
where individuals start to grow as they are
adapting to the environment)
iii) Later, rapid increase (exponential growth by
log/exponential phase) due to unlimited
resources (food,water,space).
iv) As environment resistant factors starts to take
effect, population growth decreases
(decelerating phase). Population growth is
said to be approaching its carrying capacity.
v) Finally, population will achieved stable size
after achieving equilibrium state between
natality and mortality (stationary/equlibrium
phase)
vi) Describe growth in non-ideal condition (the
presence of environmental resistance)
Summary :
1. Lag phase
Population grow slow
Adapting to new environment
Low number of mature & reproductively active
individual
Organism prepare for growth
2. Log/exponential phase
Population growth rapid
Near the biotic potential
Natality more than mortality
Resources unlimited
Maximum growth rate achieved
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Chapter 13: POPULATION ECOLOGY
Edited by : NJ.NS.MMAP.WSWO Disember 2015

3. Decelerating phase
Population growth slows down
Environmental resistance exist
Population approaching carrying capacity, k
Mortality increase, but natality is more than
mortality
Competition for the resources/limiting factor
increase
4. Stationary/equilibrium phase
Population stable
Natality = mortality
Zero population growth rate

Types of limiting factors

Density dependent: Density independent:

Factors that become limiting when a Factors that limits population growth
population increases in density (number of irrespective of population density due to
individual relative to the size of the carrying event that occur seasonally or unexpectedly.
environment.

E.g: Eg:
 Competition for resources  Climate/ weather
 Territorial behaviour  Forest fire
 Predator-prey relationship  Flood
 Overcrowding  Use of pesticide by man (agriculture)

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Chapter 13: POPULATION ECOLOGY
Edited by : NJ.NS.MMAP.WSWO Disember 2015

5. Explain how competition, territorial behaviour, predator-prey relationship and overcrowding

affect population growth.
a. Competition c. Predator-prey relationship
 When population size ↑, competition ↑, causes  when pop. of prey ↑, pop. of predators ↑ &
decrease in population growth. when pop. Of prey ↓, pop. of predators ↓
 2 types:  usually shows fluctuation in population
- intraspecific (between individual of the same growth for both predators & prey.
species)  Below is the example of prey-predator
- interspecific (between individual of different graph.
species)
 Why? Limited resources
-food & water- supplies required to generate
energy. When pop. size ↑, food & water
supplies ↓, causing a decrease in population
growth
-space- required for shelter, living activities &
reproduction
-light : required by photoautotrophs for
photosynthesis

 Interspecific competition between P.aurelia

(predator) and P.caudatum (prey)
 Why P.aurelia outcompete/have advantage
over P.caudatum ?
-Faster reproduction rate
-More efficient feeding
-Greater resistance to toxic waste product

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Chapter 13: POPULATION ECOLOGY
Edited by : NJ.NS.MMAP.WSWO Disember 2015
b. Territorial behaviour
 individuals or in groups select & defend a
territory large enough to provide basic
necessities
 the larger & more productive the territory, the
better it is for population growth
 No overlap/ little overlapping between
neighbouring territory (species without territory
often die from predation)
d. Over-crowding
 Occur at high population density
 Cause excessive stress leading to
abnormal behaviour
 Same population show a decline in
health/hormonal changes
 Which cause infertility/aggressive
behavior