3.

1 - Generalists & Specialist Species

a. Describe the difference between specialist species and generalist species: A specialist species are
organisms that require unique resources like a certain temperature whereas a generalist species that
can survive off of many different things and do not need special amenities.

b. Explain whether specialists or generalist species would be advantaged in a grassland ecosystem

that is frequently disrupted by fires: specialist would be affected if their main food source was
being burned due to the fact that they may not be able to migrate. Generalist species are more
likely to be ok due to them adapting to their surroundings.

3.2 - r-selected & K-selected Species 3.3 - Survivorship Curves

a. Describe the reproductive strategy of r-selected a. Define survivorship: The act of surviving.
species: R-selected species only put little time
into offspring and if they do have children, they
do not care for them. b. Plot the three survivorship curves on the
blank axis below. Be sure to add axis
labels:
b. Identify THREE characteristics of r-selected
species: Short lifespan, rapid development,
high reproductive rate.

c. Describe the reproductive strategy of

K-selected species: K-selected
species put a lot of time into their
offspring and once born care for them
for long periods of time.

d. Identify THREE characteristics of K-selected

species: Slow development, low reproductive
rate, long lifespan.

e.Explain why K-selected species are more
likely to become extinct than R-selected
species. K-selected species depend on steady
environment and have a harder chance
reproducing compared to R-selected whom
produce offspring easier.
f. Would owls be considered r or k selected?
Owls are k-selected species.
c. Identify a characteristic and example of
each of the three survivorship types
Type 1 has high maternal care like humans.
Type 2 has medium maternal care and an
equal chance of dying throughout their life.
Type 3 has very low maternal care like
insects.
 3.4 - Carrying Capacity
a. Define carrying capacity: The max amount of a population size of a species that can be sustained.

b. Explain the concept of overshoot and die off.

Overshoot can lead to a population crash and a die off mean
a sudden natural perishing of a large numbers of species, pop, or
community.

c. Using the table, during what year does

the organism reach carrying capacity?
1995.

3.5 - Population Growth & Resource Availability

a. Define and provide an example of density-dependent factors: A factor whose effects on the size or
growth of a population vary with the population density. Example would be a diseases going through
the species.

b. Define and provide an example of density-independent factors: Anything that affects the size of a
population of living things regardless of the density of the population. Ex would be oxygen availability
because everything relies on it.

c. Identify the type of growth populations can exhibit briefly when limiting resources are available in
abundance:
Logistic growth.

d. Explain why populations in natural ecosystems can’t sustain this model of growth for long:
Not enough resources to sustain that level of growth, like food and space.

3.6 - Age Structure Diagrams

a. Identify the three key age cohorts used for age structure diagrams:
Pre-productive, productive, and post-productive.
b. Explain what an age structure diagram with a larger portion of individuals in the pre-reproductive
age cohort than any other age cohorts can tell you about the population:
The population will grow in the future.
c. Explain what an age structure diagram with a slightly larger pre-reproductive age cohort than
reproductive age cohort can tell you about the population:
It will have slow, stable growth

d. Explain what an age structure diagram with roughly equal pre-reproductive and reproductive age
cohorts can tell you about the population:
The population will stay mostly the same.
 3.6 Age Structure Diagrams - Continued
e. Explain what an age structure diagram with a greater portion of individuals in reproductive
and post-reproductive age cohorts than pre-reproductive age cohorts can tell you about the
population:
The population is declining.

f. Identify the largest age cohort, describe the population growth rate, and provide an economic or
societal characteristic of each of the following age structure diagrams:

Largest age-cohort: Economic/societal

Pre-productive characteristic:

Growth rate: developing

rapid

Largest age-cohort: Economic/societal

Pre-productive characteristic:

Growth rate: undeveloped

rapid

Largest age-cohort: Economic/societal

characteristic:
Productive
developed
Growth rate:
negative
 3.7 - Totally Fertility Rate (TFR)
a. Define TFR and describe the global trend we see with TFR.
Total fertility rate, how many children per woman. TFR is globally declining.

b. Identify THREE factors that influence TFR and for each, tell me if it lowers or increases TFR.
Education for women lowers TFR, women’s rights movement lowers TFR, birth control lowers TRF.

c. Explain TWO reasons that developed nations typically have lower TFR than developing nations:
Higher education for women, more access to birth control.

d. Describe an approach that a national government may take to decrease TFR:

Limit family size to one child each.

3.8 - Population Dynamics

a. What is the formula for calculating percent growth rate using CBR and CDR?

CBR-CDR/10

b. Calculate the global population growth rate using the CBR and CDR data from 2019:
CBR: 17.89 CDR 7.52
17.89-7.52/10= 1.037%

c. Calculate the global population growth rate using the CBR, CDR, immigration, and emigration
data.
CBR: 38 CDR: 24 Immigration: 10 Emigration: 0

(38+10)-(24-0)/10 = 2.4

d. What is the rule of 70?

Doubling time. 70/growth rate.
e. Calculate the doubling time of the United States, based on its 2019 CBR (11.4) and CDR (8.7)

70/(11.4-8.7/10)= 259.259 years

f. What number is used to describe replacement level fertility?

g.Define GDP and describe what it indicates about a country:

GDP is the gross domestic product of a country. The higher the GDP, the more developed the country .
 3.9 - Theory of Demographic Transition

Describe the birth rate, death rate, population growth rate, and economic/societal characteristics of
countries during each phase of transition:

Birth rate: Cause for birth/death rate changes: Medical intervention

Phase high
1 Economic/societal characteristics:
Death rate:
People begin to live longer, meaning a more productive workforce.
high but

dropping

Growth rate:

low

Birth rate: Cause for birth/death rate changes: More development, women
are having less children.
Phase High, but
2
Economic/societal characteristics: Larger workforce, more GDP
dropping

Death rate:

Dropping

Growth rate:

Increasing

Birth rate: Cause for birth/death rate changes: More education for women,
more birth control, less need for children
Low and
Phase
3
dropping
Economic/societal characteristics: Country becomes even more
 developed and specialized industries like banking and such
Death rate:
develop.
Low

Growth rate:

High but

starting to

slow down

Birth rate: Cause for birth/death rate changes: Families place little to no
importance on reproduction, children cost more money.
Low
Phase
4
Death rate:
Economic/societal characteristics: Completely developed country,
Low
stable population, high GDP

Growth rate:

Plateauing

What is one difference between stage 2 and 3?

In phase two, birth rates are dropping but remain high, while in stage three they are significantly lower.