9.

2 Population
Ecology
 Factors Affecting Population Distribution
● Population distribution shows how species of organisms spread out in a habitat
○ Uneven distribution of resources causes organisms to exist in clumped or
separated groups
○ When resources are limited, organisms compete among themselves and are
distributed uniformly in the habitat
○ The individuals of a species that do not interact strongly are distributed
randomly
Factors Affecting Population Distribution
● Biotic factors such as competition, parasitism and predation
● Abiotic factors such as light intensity, temperature, pH of the soil,
nutrient content and moisture content
● Birth rate, death rate, immigration and emmigration of the members
of a population
 FACTORS AFFECTING
POPULATION DISTRIBUTION

EFFECT TOWARD PLANTS

 Temperature
• The optimum temperature for plant growth is
between 25 °C to 30 °C.
• High temperatures can cause enzymes to denature.
Biochemical processes in plants are disrupted and
they:
1. stunt the growth of plants.
2. increase the rate of water evaporation
by transpiration.
3. slow the rate of photosynthesis.
• Low temperatures reduce the activities of enzymes
which slow down the biochemical reactions.
 • Water is needed for

Water enzyme activities,

photosynthesis, transport
and support in
herbaceous plants.

• Dry regions such as a

desert and tundra areas
such as at the poles have
low population distribution
and also low density of
plants.
• Important for the
process of
photosynthesis in
plants

Areas which
receive little light
have a lower
number of plants
3. Light
 pH of soil
• Important for nutrient absorption by
the roots.

• Soil in which the pH is either too

acidic or too alkaline will cause
lower absorption of nutrients by
plants.

• The growth of plants will be

disrupted due to lack of nutrients
Mineral salt content
• Salt content affects the absorption of water
through osmosis by the roots.

• High salt content in soil will cause plants to

lose water through osmosis.

• Minerals are needed for the production of

proteins, enzymes, nucleotides, vitamins and
others compounds.

• As an example, phosphorus is used to form

phospholipids (in the formation of cell
membrane).
 FACTORS AFFECTING
POPULATION DISTRIBUTION

EFFECT TOWARD ANIMALS

• Areas which are
exposed to high
temperatures in a habitat
are less inhabited by
certain animals such as
worms and snails

Temperature
Water
Animals are
concentrated in
areas that have
enough water
sources for drinking
and cooling the body.
 Breeding site

A safe and suitable

breeding site is needed
by animals to raise
their offsprings.
Food supply

Food is important for

survival because animals
are heterotrophs which
depend on plants and
other animals for food.
 Estimating
Population Size of
Organisms
Estimation of Organism
Population Size
● Two important factors
for studying
population ecology
are :
1. population size
2. population density.
The population size in an area can be
estimated by a random sampling
technique when the studied area is large
and difficult to obtain data.

A sample which represents

the area is taken to give an estimation of
the abundance and the distribution
pattern of
certain organisms that inhabit the area
 Quadrat Sampling Technique

o Ecologists need to define the boundaries suitable to

the organisms being studied
o The quadrat sampling technique is used in
estiating the population size and density of immobile
organisms such as plants or very small and slow-
moving organisms
o A series of qudrats (squares) are place randomly or
along a transect in the habitat being studied.
o The number of organisms within the quadrat is
determined and recorded.
● In some cases, population size and density can be
determined by counting all individuals within the
boundaries set
● However, it is not practical to count all individuals
in a population
Sampling
Technique
q used to estimate totalpopulation sizes
or densities
q Data collected from different sites
enclosed by the quadrats are used as
samples to estimate the population
size and density within the entire
habitat
 Population Size
q is the number of organisms present in the population
q Data obtained can be used to determine the following parameters :
3 5 2 0 7 0 0 2 2 3 24

24
10 X 1 m2

= 2.4 m2
= 2 individuals
per m2
0.2 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.6 0.6 0.5 4 70 %

4
10 X 1 m2

40 %
Capture-mark-
release-recapture
Technique
q Researchers use this technique to
estimate the population size for
organisms that move around or are
hidden from view in the area being
studied such as mammals, birds or
fish
q Eg ; snails in the vegetable plot or
woodlice under a tree
Capture-mark-
release-recapture
Technique
q This method assumes that
q marked and unmarked individuals
have the same probability of being
captured or sampled
q the marked organisms have mixed
completely back into the population
q animal population being sampled is
stable with no significant changes
for examples no individuals are born,
die, immigrate or emmigrate during
resampling interval.
Capture-mark-
release-recapture
Technique
To ensure that the outcomes are more
accurate :
ü repeated sampling is carried out
ü the sample size is large enough
ü animals are captured randomly and enough
time must be given for the marked and
unmarked individuals to mix with the rest of
the populations
ü The tag used to mark the animals are
durable and must be easily detected by
predators or prevent the animals from
moving freely
No. of organism in No. of The number of marked animals in the
1st capture (P) organism in 2nd second capture (R)
capture (Q)

56 42 30

56 X 42
30

=
78