Population Dynamics

Do Now!!!
1. Identify the Carrying Capacity

on the provided graph.
2. What biotic factors limited the

growth of deer in Kaibab
Forest?
3. What abiotic factors could

potentially limit the growth of
deer in Kaibab Forest?
4. Yesterday, during the Kaibab

lab, did the carrying capacity
decrease or increase? Why?
Chapter 4.1 – Population Dynamics
• Population – a group of
organisms of the same
species that live in a
specific area.
• Every organism belongs
to a population
• What are some
examples of a
population?
Characteristics of Population
1. Growth rate
2. Density and distribution
• Study of these
characteristics is called
population dynamics.
Growth Rate
• The growth rate of a

population is the
change in population
size per unit time.
Change in population size of predator
and prey that live in same habitat
Population Growth Rate
• Determined mainly by 4
factors:
– Birthrate
– Death rate
– Immigration- number of
individuals moving into a
population.
– Emigration- number of
individuals moving away
Population Growth is based on
available resources
Population Limitations
• A population can continue growing as long as
resources are available to its members.
– Food, Water, Habitat, etc.
Exponential Growth
• The graph shows how a population would grow if
there were no limiting factors (abundant resources).
• Exponential growth is also sometimes called a J-
shaped curve.
Example of Exponential Growth
• In 1859 an Australian landowner returning
home from England brought 24 European
rabbits to the country for the purpose of sport
hunting. The rabbits were introduced into an
environment that had abundant space and
food and no predators fast enough to catch
them. The initial population of 24 rabbits grew
exponentially and spread across the country.
After many attempts to control the
population, today there are between 200
million and 300 million rabbits in Australia.
Logistic Growth
• At some point, the
increasing population with
strain on available
resources, thus show a
logistic growth rate.
• A population begins with
slow growth followed by a
brief period of exponential
growth before leveling off
at a stable size.
• This type of curve is called
logistic growth or S-shaped
curve.
Carrying Capacity
• Carrying Capacity – the
maximum number of
individuals in a species
that an environment
can support in a given
area.
• Carrying capacity can
change when the
environment changes.
– Ex. Lesson of Kaibab Lab
Logistic Growth
• When the population
size exceeds the carrying
capacity, the number of
births will decrease and
the number of deaths
will increase bringing the
population back to
carrying capacity.
Population-Limiting Factors
• Limiting factors keep a population from
growing indefinitely
• 2 types:
1. Density-independent factors
2. Density-dependent factors
Density-independent Factors
• Aspect of environment that limit a
population’s growth regardless population
density
• Ex: Abiotic factors
– Natural disasters, weather, forest fires, seasonal
cycles
Density-dependent Factors
• Affected by # of individuals in
a given area.
• Ex – Biotic Factors
– Competition, parasitism and
disease, predation, etc.
• Abiotic Factors
– Viruses
Affects large dense population!

Competition
• Food
• Shelter
• Mates
Population Density
• The number of individuals living in the defined
area.
• Ex: there was an average of 4 American Bison
per square km in Northern Yellowstone in
2000
Equation
Population Dispersion
• Way in which individuals of a population are
spread in an area or a volume.
WHY???
Individuals are
randomly spread
within an area
Territoriality and
intraspecies
competition for limited
resources
To facilitate mating,
gain protection, or
access food resources.
Identify the type of dispersion shown
in each picture.
1. 2.
Answer: Clumped Answer: Random

3.
Concluding video
• https://www.pbs.org/video/natureworks-
population-dynamics/

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What are some examples of population limiting factors?

What is the difference between density-dependent and density-independent factors?

Do Now!!!

1. Identify the Carrying Capacity

2. What biotic factors limited the

3. What abiotic factors could

4. Yesterday, during the Kaibab

• The growth rate of a

Affects large dense population!

Answer: Clumped Answer: Random

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