Practice - 2.2 Population Ecology: Dynamics of Species
Practice Questions
Test your understanding with targeted questions
Define a population in ecological terms.
- Answer: A group of individuals of the same species living in the same geographic area at the same time.
- Hint: Think of "all the deer in one specific forest."
💡 Hint: Think of "all the deer in one specific forest."
Which growth pattern is represented by a J-shaped curve?
- Answer: Exponential growth.
- Hint: This happens when resources are unlimited.
💡 Hint: This happens when resources are unlimited.
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Interactive Quizzes
Quick quizzes to reinforce your learning
Which of the following is a Density-Independent limiting factor?
- Type: mcq
- Options: A) Competition, B) Predation, C) A volcanic eruption, D) Spread of a virus
- Correct Answer: C
- Explanation: A volcano will affect every organism in its path regardless of how many individuals are in the population. The other options depend on how crowded the population is.
- Hint: Which one happens "no matter what"?
💡 Hint: Which one happens "no matter what"?
True or False: In the exponential growth model, the birth rate is significantly higher than the death rate.
- Type: boolean
- Options: True, False
- Correct Answer: True
- Explanation: Exponential growth requires a net increase where many more individuals are born than die, leading to the J-shaped curve.
- Hint: If they were equal, the line would be flat.
💡 Hint: If they were equal, the line would be flat.
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Challenge Problems
Push your limits with advanced challenges
Data Analysis: A scientist tracks a population of lab mice. In month 1, there are 2 mice. In month 2, there are 4. In month 3, there are 16. In month 4, there are 256.
* Task A: Identify the growth pattern.
* Task B: Predict what will happen in month 10 if the mice are in a small cage with a limited food supply.
- Solution:
- Task A: Exponential growth (J-curve).
- Task B: The growth will transition to Logistic Growth. The population will hit a limiting factor (lack of food/space) and level off at the cage's carrying capacity.
- Hint: Look at the doubling/squaring pattern in the numbers.
💡 Hint: Look at the doubling/squaring pattern in the numbers.
Ecosystem Management: A local park has a carrying capacity of 50 deer. Currently, there are 45 deer. The park decides to build a new parking lot that removes 20% of the deer's grazing land. Calculate the new estimated carrying capacity and predict how the deer population will respond.
- Solution:
- Calculation: deer.
- Prediction: Since the current population (45) is now above the new carrying capacity (40), the population will decrease through deaths or emigration until it stabilizes around 40.
- Hint: Less land means a lower "ceiling" for the population.
💡 Hint: Less land means a lower "ceiling" for the population.
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