EN V IR O N M EN TA L

S TU D IES
P O P U LATIO N EC O LO G Y

PO PU LATIO N SIZE
Terminology:
Species: a group of organisms which share the
same characteristics and are capable of
interbreeding to produce fertile offspring.
Population: a group of organisms of the same
species which live in the same habitat so that
random interbreeding takes place
Community: populations of different species
living and interacting in the same habitat.
Ecosystem: The living community and their
interactions with the abiotic component
Population ecology- The study of the changes in

population size and their causes.

The relationship betw een species,populations

com m unity and the ecosystem

Population size is aff

ected by:
Inborn factors
Environmental changes

Natality (Birth rate)

Mortality
(Death rate)

Population
size
Immigration

Emigration

POPULATION PARAMETERS
Natality : the birth

rate. Its the production

of new individuals by
birth, hatching,
germination or division.

N atality strategies
R-STRATEGY
Many offspring
Low parental care and low chances of
survival
Typical of pioneer species
e.g. ?
K-STRATEGY
Few offspring
High amount of parental care and
survival

H um an natality
Fertility rate- no. of births per 1000
females of child-bearing age per year.
Fecundity rate- Average number of
children born in one generation per
female of child-bearing age.

Mortality - death rate

SU RVIVO RSH IP CU RVES PG 272273

Complete metamorphosis: 4 stages: egg, larva,

pupa , and adult e.g. _______
Incomplete metamorphosis: 3 stages: egg, nymph
and adult. e.g.___________

Complete metamorphosis is characteristic of

beetles, butterflies and moths, flies, and wasps.
Their life cycle includes four stages: egg, larva,
pupa , and adult. The larva differs greatly from the
adult. It is wingless, and its form and habits are
suited for growth and development rather than
reproduction

Dispersal - movement of individuals, or parts of

individuals, from one habitat to another immigration, emigration and migration together are
called dispersion

Immigration : the process

that occurs when an
organism enter a new place
to settle permanently
Emigration - the process
that occurs when an
organism leaves one place
to go and live in another
place permanently
Migration - animals move
from one area to another
because of lack of water,
food or to avoid winter
temporarily

M igration ofzebra and w ildebeest in the

Serengeti

Wildebeest migration: migration is a response to

seasonal change. The function of migration is to
keep animals in a suitable environment throughout
the year.

W ildebeestm igration:m igration is a response to seasonal

change.The function ofm igration is to keep anim als in a suitable
environm entthroughoutthe year.

M igration ofbirds:Ifhabitat quality declines,anim als

im prove their chances ofsurvivaland reproduction by
going elsew here

Effects of dispersal are affected

by:
Population density and
Time between movements (rate)

ACT 3.1.1 pg 274

Population fl
uctuation and
regulation
CARRYING CAPACITY- The maximum

population size which the

environment can accommodate. (can
vary)
POPULATION REGULATION- tendency
of a population to return to the
equilibrium size
POPULATION STABILITY- tendency of
a population to remain at a constant
size.

Population size is lim ited by:

density-dependent
factors

density-independent
factors

Competition
Predators
Food
Crowding
Disease
Parasites

The greater the

population, the greater

effect these factors
have.

Volcanic eruptions
Temperature
Storms
Floods
Drought
Chemical pesticides

Most are abiotic factors

PO PU LATIO N G RO W TH FO RM

GEOMETRIC GROWTH FORM (J-shaped

Population size

curve)

(GEOMETRIC/LOG)/ACCELER
ATED GROWTH PHASE
(Rapid growth)

LAG PHASE
( Population is getting
accustomed to new
environment)

Time

Number of indivuals population size

Graph to show a geometric (J-shaped)

growth form
Lag Accelerating
growth
phase
phase

Repetition in
mosquitoes
(summer
growth,
winter death
phase)

Time

Population size

LO G ISTIC G RO W TH FO RM
(S-shaped curve)

Accelerated
growth

Number of indivuals population size

Graph to show a logistic (S-shaped)

growth form
Environmental resistance

Lizette
Neethling

Carrying capacity
Lag
phase

Accelerating
growth
phase
Decelerating
growth
phase

Time

Equilibrium
phase
(stationary
phase)

A Lag phase

SEE PG 279 T/BOOK

First phase
Population grows slowly, because the organism is getting accustomed to the new

environment
Second phase
Population size increases rapidly
Little or no limiting factors

C Decelerating growth phase

Third phase
Environmental resistance begins to play a role

Population size

B Accelerating, geometric or logarithmic growth phase

D Equilibrium phase or stationary phase

Usually final phase
Reach carrying capacity
Environmental resistance occurs

E Death phase (not always present)

Occurs sometimes as a last phase
Can be result of drought, diseases, accumulation of waste etc
Population size drops

Time

ACTIVTIY 3.1.2 pg 280

PART A-Classw ork/hom ew ork

A
1. Logistic growth
2 A- lag phase B- accelerating growth

phase
D- Equilibrium/ stationary phase
3. Organisms are still getting used to the
environment
4. B
5. A- part C B- part D C- part B
.6. Climate change, availability of food,
space, shelter, predators

D ETERM IN IN G PO PU LATIO N
SI
ZE technique (census counting
Direct
individuals)

 AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

The direct method best for slow

moving organisms

IN D IR EC T TEC H N IQ U ES
MARK-RECAPTURE
Animals are caught, marked and then released

to mix thoroughly with the unmarked individuals

of the same species. Later, a
second sample is taken and the
number of marked and
unmarked animals is counted.

Indirect technique mark and

recapture
P = No. marked initially X No. in 2 nd sample
---------------------------------------------------------No. marked in 2nd sample
SEE e.g. pg 282

M ark-recapture m iniprac
Trial no

No 1st
marked

No. in 2nd
sample

No.
Estimated
marked in populatio
2nd sample n size

1
2
3
ACTUAL NO

AVERAGE

Im proving reliability and

validity ofresults
RELIABILITY
repeated several times and calculate the average
VALIDITY
Only a short time should pass between the
samplings (no births and deaths should occur)
The marking must not damage the individual
Marking must not affect movement or behaviour
The marked animal must mix freely with the rest
of the population
No immigration or emigration is allowed, (closed
population)
Lizette
Neethling

ACTIVITY 3.1.4 pg 284 N o 1

only
1.2 the area sample might be one that

grasshoppers preferred / did not prefer.

Some grasshoppers may have
emigrated/immigrated
Some grasshoppers may have died.
1.3 sample areas must be taken

randomly
Repeating the process many times and
finding the average estimate

SIM PLE SAM PLIN G

Make

a physical count of all the

animals/plants under investigation in a
small sample area of the habitat and
calculate the total population using the
formula

Total no. in
population

No. in sample

Habitat size
sample size

This method is useful in sampling plants and

sessile or slow-moving organisms

Choose your samples randomly

Take several samples and take the

average estimate

R andom sam pling :a sam ple that is not

deliberately selected but is selected by
chance.This m eans that any area being
sam pled or any individualin a population
being sam pled has an equalprobability
ofbeing selected

Q uadrat sam pling m ethod for plants

ACTIVITY 3.1.6 PG 287

For the counting, those that are in

the block or half or more in are

counted as being in.