Population Dynamics

Perspective
• Definition – the study of the changes in the
numbers and composition of individuals in
a population within a study unit and the
factors that affect these numbers
• Can involve any organism or group of
organisms
• Study unit can be any biological,
geographical, political or engineered area
 Bacterial Growth
Requirements
1. Macronutrients
a. carbon
b. nitrogen
c. phosphorus
2. Micronutrients
a. trace metals
b. vitamins
3. Environment
a. moisture
b. temperature
c. pH
Growth in Pure Cultures
 Mathematics of Growth
• log growth phase

P  P0  2 P0  2  2 P0  2  2  2 P0  ....

P  P0 (2) n

log P  log P0  n log 2

 Example
• Bread yeast cells divide and form 2 cells every
5 minutes. If you place 105 cells in a suitable
environment, how many cells will you have in
30 minutes?

30 minutes
n  6 generations
5 minutes/generation

P  10 2  6.4 x 10 cells

5 6 6
 Mixed Cultures
• Pure cultures do not exist in nature
• Log growth may occur when one organism or
group has few external limits
• Most organisms interact with other
organisms:
– competition for food and other resources
– disease
– induced changes in environment
Human Population Dynamics

• Exponential model is commonly used, but this

may be an issue of time scales

P (t )  P e 0
rt

r  bd im
where
b = birth rate
d = death rate
i = immigration rate
m = emigration rate