8.3 Population Ecology
in AP Biology
Population ecology is the study of factors affecting the size of a population and how it changes over time.
To Think About:
What is a population? What factors influence population growth dynamics? What leads to the exponential growth of a population?
In what ways are living systems organized in a hierarchy of structural levels that interact?
Watch: AP Daily Video Population Ecology
Answer the Following Questions:
- What is a population?
- The size of a population largely depends on _________________
- How does food availability affect reproduction and survival rates?
- What are some adaptations that aid in survival when energy availability decreases?
- List some factors that affect population growth.
- If B > D the population growth rate will ______________, if B < D the population growth rate will __________________
- What conditions lead to exponential growth?
- What would a graph of the population size in a population experiencing exponential growth look like?
- What would a graph of the population size in a population experiencing logistic growth look like?
- Stop the video at 3:04. What is the growth rate of the population in the question? Show your work.
Supplementary Resources:
- Bozeman Science: Mr. Andersen’s “Populations” video
- Crash Course Biology: The Texas Mosquito Mystery–Population Ecology
- Bozeman Science: Mr. Andersen’s “Exponential Growth” video
- TED Talks—Hans Rosling: Global Population Growth, Box by Box
Otherwise.com: Exponential Growth Simulator
East Tennessee State University: Population Growth Simulator (manipulate parameters to see how they affect population size)
