Environmental Science Flash Cards

A group of organisms of the same species that inhabits a defined geographic area at the same time.

The number of individuals of a population that inhabit a certain unit of land or water area.

How individuals of a population are spaced within a region.

Random (population dispersion)

The position of each individual is not determined or influenced by the other members of the population. Relatively uncommon.

Clumping (population dispersion)

The most common dispersion pattern. Individuals "flock together"

Uniform (population dispersion)

The members of the population are uniformly spaced throughout their geographic region. Often the result of competition for resources in an ecosystem.

The amount that the population would grow if there were unlimited resources in its environment.

The maximum population size that can be supported by the available resources in the region.

The time it takes for a population to double can be approximated by dividing 70 by the current growth rate of the population.

Reproduce early in life and often have a high capacity for reproductive growth

Reproduce later in life, produce fewer offspring and devote significant time and energy to the nurturing of their offspring.