1. Zebra
Population
Ecology
Flamingos
Yellow Fusiliers

2. Populations increase
or decrease based on
four variables...
• Births
• Immigration Black Wildebeest
• Deaths
• Emigration
Leatherback
Turtle

3. Most populations are distributed in ‘clumps’
• Advantages
• Resources tend to be
found in patches
• There is better
protection
• Better chances for a
meal (lions, wolves)
Cape buffalo being pursued by lions in Botswana
• Mating and care of
young

4. Characteristics of a
population...
• Age Structure
• Pre-
reproductive
• Reproductive
• Post-
reproductive
Fifi and her kin

5. Limits on a population...
• Carrying Capacity
is determined by...
• Environmental
Resistance:
disease, food,
water, weather,
predation
• Biotic Potential:
intrinsic rate of
growth

6. Exponential and Logistic Growth
• Exponential Growth or the
J-shaped curve
• no limits to reproduction
or resources
• Logistic Growth or the S-
shaped curve
• Environmental resistance
brings population within
carrying capacity

7. Tapeworm
Specific Examples of
Environmental Resistance
• Density Dependent
Factors
• food, disease,
predators, parasites
• Density Independent
Factors
• weather, natural
disasters, habitat
loss, pollution Deforestation in The Philippines

8. Predator-Prey
Relationships
• Bottom-Up Control
• Snowshoe Hare and
Lynx in Canada
• Natural fluctuation in
prey population Lynx
regulates the
predator
• Top-Down Control
• Wolf and Elk
relationship in
Yellowstone
Snowshoe
Hare

9. Reproductive Patterns and
Survival Strategies
• R-selected species
• early sexual
maturity/early
reproduction
• lots of young/high
mortality of young
• minimal care of
young
• high growth rate/
Locust Swarm in Mauritania
low life expectancy

10. More Survival
Strategies...
• K-selected species
• late sexual maturity
late reproduction
• low birthrate/low
mortality of young
Humpback female
• parental care of young and calf
• low population growth
rate

11. A Few Final Words...
• K-selected species
• prefer mature, stable
ecosystems
• comprise the majority Philippine Eagle
of Endangered Species
• R-selected species
• excellent at colonizing
‘disturbed’
ecosystems