number of individuals per unit of area or volume, e

1. Population Density

number of individuals per unit of area or volume, e.g. persons/sq mile

2. Population Distribution

the general patter in which the population members are dispersed through its habitat, may be: Clumped (most common), Uniformly dispersed (rare), or Randomly dispersed

3. Age Structure

defines the relative proportions of individuals of each age: Pre-reproductive, Reproductive, and Post-reproductive

4. Population Size and Growth

population size is dependent on births, immigration, deaths, and emigration

5. Zero Population Growth

designates a near balance of births and deaths

6. Population Growth Represented Mathmatically

G = rN
G = Population growth per unit time
r = rate of increase
N = the number of individuals

7. Exponential Growth

one variable increases much faster than the other (J shaped graph)

8. Biotic Potential

population lives under ideal conditions.
the maximum rate of increase under ideal conditions.
few populations live under ideal conditions because a number of factors limit their growth

9. Limiting Factor

any resource that is in short supply, e.g. food, minerals, light, living space, refuge from predators, etc.

10. Carrying Capacity

maximum number of individuals of a species or population a given environment can sustain. Each habitat can only support so many individuals