Question 1

What is the equation for exponential population growth, and what does each variable represent?

Accepted Answer

dN/dt = rN, where N is population size, t is time, and r is the intrinsic rate of natural increase (birth rate minus death rate).

Question 2

What is the logistic growth equation and what additional variable does it include compared to exponential growth?

Accepted Answer

dN/dt = rN(K-N)/K; it adds K, the carrying capacity, which represents the maximum population size the environment can sustainably support.

Question 3

What is the difference between density-dependent and density-independent limiting factors? Give one example of each.

Accepted Answer

Density-dependent factors intensify as population density increases (e.g., competition, disease); density-independent factors affect populations regardless of density (e.g., hurricanes, frost).

Question 4

Distinguish between r-selected and K-selected reproductive strategies, including one characteristic of each.

Accepted Answer

r-selected species reproduce rapidly, produce many offspring with little parental care (e.g., insects); K-selected species reproduce slowly, produce few offspring with high parental investment (e.g., elephants).

Question 5

What does a Type III survivorship curve indicate about a species, and what type of organism typically shows this pattern?

Accepted Answer

Type III curves show high mortality early in life with survivors living long; organisms producing many offspring with little parental care, such as fish or plants, typically show this pattern.

AP Biology: Ecology & Ecosystems

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