Population Ecology

Here is a brief introduction to some of the important parameters that we will need to understand to be able to study population ecology. For each of the parameters it is important that you know (1) the name of the parameter, (2) the algebraic symbol used to represent the parameter, (3) the units of measurement for the parameter, (4) how to calculate the parameter, and (5) how to describe (in words) what a particular value of that parameter means.

It is probably easiest for me to introduce these concepts using an example.
Imagine that in a population of 100 elephants that in one year 10 elephants are born and 5 elephants die.

1) Population Size (N) units- individuals. Measures the number of individuals in a population.

N = 100 individuals

In this population, there are 100 elephants.

2) Population Birth Rate (B) units- number of births per time. Measures the number of births per time that occur in a population.

B = 10 births/year

In this population, each year there are 10 births.

3) Population Death Rate (D) units- number of deaths per time. Measures the number of deaths per time that occur in a population.

D = 5 deaths/year

In this population, each year there are 5 deaths.

4) Population Growth Rate (dN/dt) units- number of idividuals per time. Measures the rate of change of the population size.

dN/dt = B - D

dN/dt = 10 births/year - 5 deaths/year = 5 individuals/year

In this population, the population size increases by 5 individuals each year.

5) Per Capita Birth Rate (b) units- births per time per individual. Measures the number of births per time averaged across all members of the population.

b = B/N

b = (10 births/year)/100 individuals = 0.10 births/year/individual

In this population, each year 0.10 babies are born for each individual in the population.

6) Per Capita Death Rate (d) units - deaths per time per individual. Measures the number of deaths per time averaged across all members of the population.

d = D/N

d = (5 deaths/year)/100 individuals = 0.05 deaths/year/individual

In this population, each year 0.005 individuals die for each individual in the population.

7) Per Capita Growth Rate (r) units = individuals/time/individual. Measure the rate of change in population size averaged across all individuals. The per capita growth rate can be calcuated two ways.

a) r = b - d

r = 0.10 births/year/individual - 0.05 deaths/year/individual = 0.05 ind/year/ind

b) r = (dN/dt)/N

r = (5 individuals/year)/100 individuals = 0.05 individuals/year/individual

In this population, each year 0.05 individuals are added for each individual in the population.

Practice Problem

In a population of 50 tigers, in one year 10 tigers are born and 20 tigers die. What is B, D, dN/dt, b, d, r?

Readings

Population- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Population

Population ecology- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Population_ecology

Population growth rate- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Population_growth_rate

Exponential growth- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Exponential_growth

Logistic growth- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Logistic_growth

Carrying capacity- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Carrying_capacity


Expected Learning Outomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

- define and calculate the value of basic population ecology parameters

- draw and interpret the following graphs

a) how population size changes over time in exponential growth

b) how population size changes over time in logistic growth

- explain why exponential growth is an unrealistic pattern of growth for most species

- define and explain the carrying capacity

- discuss the factors that regulate population size, be able to distinguish between density dependent and density independent factors that regulate population growth and give examples