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Population Ecology. Population Density Number of individuals of a species per unit at a given time Population dispersion (spacing) Clumped dispersion Uniform dispersion Random dispersion. Dispersion of individuals with a population. Dispersion in a sand pine population in Florida.
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Population DensityNumber of individuals of a species per unit at a given time Population dispersion (spacing) • Clumped dispersion • Uniform dispersion • Random dispersion
Four factors that produce changes in population size: • Natality: Birth Rate • Mortality: Death Rate • Immigration: Entering a territory • Emigration: Leaving a territory
Carrying capacity (K)is the largest population that can be maintained • Exponential population growth (J-shaped curve) • Logistic population curve (S-shaped curve)
Density-dependent factors: • Factors that regulate population growth by affecting a large proportion of the population as population rises • Examples include predation, disease, and competition
Density-independent factors: • Factors that limit population growth but are not influenced by changes in population density • Examples include hurricanes, blizzards, floods, volcanic eruptions, drought, etc
Human Population Growth • World population reached 6.3 billion in 2003. Today is almost 7.0 billion • Per capita growth rate has declined from peak in 1965 of about 2% per year to 1.3% • Scientists predict zero population growth by the end of the 21st century
Population characteristics • Highly developed countries • Low birth rate, low infant mortality, low fertility rate, long life expectancies, and high GPP • Developing countries • High birth rate, high infant mortality, high fertility rate, short life expectancies, and low GNI PPP
Comparison of 2003 population data in developed and developing countries
Age structure influences dynamics • Young age structure causes a positive population growth momentum as large pre-reproductive age group matures
Developing countries tend to have over-population which degrades the environment. (Mexico, Brazil, India, China etc) • Developed countries tend to have over-consumption which degrades the environment. (USA, Germany, France, Britain, etc)