Ch 54

Which of these species typically has a mortality rate that remains fairly constant over an individual’s life span?
-grasses
-humans
-oysters
-elephants
-robins

robins

Oyster populations are primarily, if not exclusively, composed of _____.

adults

Which of these organisms has a survivorship curve similar to that of oysters?
-robins
-humans
-cats
-elephants
-grasses

grasses

Which of these organisms has a survivorship curve similar to that of humans?
-oysters
-elephants
-grasses
-cats
-robins

elephants

Which processes increase a population’s size?

Births and immigration.

True or false? Factors that determine the per capita rate of increase of a population include the age of breeding and the number of offspring produced each year.

true

Which factor does not affect a habitat’s carrying capacity?
-Intensity of predation.
-Number of nesting sites.
-Maximum number of individuals in a population.
-Availability of food.

Maximum number of individuals in a population.

Which equation represents the logistic growth rate of a population?
-r=b−d
-ΔNΔt=rN
-ΔNΔt=rMmaxN(K−N)K
-ΔNΔt=rmaxN

ΔNΔt=rMmaxN (K−N)/K

Which of the following statements about density-independent growth is true?
-A population that is experiencing density-independent growth levels off at the environment’s carrying capacity.
-The per-capita rate of increase may exceed rmax during density-independent growth.
-Density-independent growth can continue indefinitely in nature.
-Density-independent growth is also known as exponential growth.

Density-independent growth is also known as exponential growth.

Under which of the following conditions would a population most likely experience exponential growth?
-Habitat with limited resources.
-Large number of individuals in the starting population.
-Young populations with few individuals.
-Environment with a low carrying capacity.

Young populations with few individuals.

Which of the following statements about a population experiencing logistic growth is true?
-If the K and N values are similar, the amount of available resources is high.
-If the K and N values are far apart, the population will grow very slowly.
-If N is greater than K, the population will shrink.
-If N is less than K, the population will not grow.

If N is greater than K, the population will shrink.

What is rmax in a species like the giant panda?

it is low

Which of the following statements are true of logistic growth?
-When the population reaches carrying capacity, it stops growing.
-As the population approaches carrying capacity, it grows more slowly.
-The population grows at a steady rate.
-As the population approaches carrying capacity, it grows more rapidly.

-When the population reaches carrying capacity, it stops growing. -As the population approaches carrying capacity, it grows more slowly.

Which of the following statements are true of a population at carrying capacity?
-The population growth rate equals zero.
-The rate at which resources are used is equal to the rate at which they are supplied.
-The population continues to grow at a constant rate.
-The birth rate equals the death rate.

-The population growth rate equals zero. -The rate at which resources are used is equal to the rate at which they are supplied. -The birth rate equals the death rate.

Which of the following factors does not contribute to environmental resistance?
-weather conditions
-competition for space
-birth rate
-environmental toxins
-competition for food

birth rate

What best explains hare and lynx population cycles?

the interaction of food availability and predation intensity

An example of an age-structure influence on human population size is that _____.

populations dominated by juveniles should experience rapid growth

Which of the following is the most likely to go extinct?
-Several large populations of 100,000
-A small single population of 5000
-Several small populations of 1000
-A large single population of 50,000

-A small single population of 5000

List four factors that define population growth.

birth, death, immigration and emigration

Why have population biologists become particularly interested in the dynamics of metapopulations?

because many populations are becoming restricted to small islands of habitat