AP Biology – Population Ecology Work
1. Explain why each of the following explanations is either true or false in describing a population.
I) inhabiting the same general area.
II) individuals belonging to the same
species.
III) possessing a constant and uniform density and dispersion.
2. Population studies do not include which of the following
a. demography
b. biodiversity
c. density
d. dispersion
e. size
Explain your answer.
3. What is an age structure diagram?
4. Draw an age structure diagram that represents a population that is:
(a) growing
(b) steady
(d) declining
5. What is meant by the saying “intrinsic rate of increase”?
6. List the differences between a k-selected species and an r-selected species.
7. Explain why each of the following explanation is either true or false in describing density-dependent
limiting factors.
I) affect the size of the population;
II) act to regulate population growth;
III) ultimately cause adaptation as competition for limiting factors increases.
8. In the Logistic Growth Model of population growth, as the number N of individuals in a population
approaches the carrying capacity K, the rate (dN/dt) of growth will be affected by what? Explain your
answer.
9. What are the 3 types of dispersion patterns and when would you expect to see each?
10. Which factor does not increase the likelihood of population extinction?
1. isolation of a population from sinks of immigrants
2. isolation of a population from sources of immigrants
3. small population size
4. lack of genetic diversity
5. low resource availability
Explain your answer.
11. Each female of a particular fish species produces millions of eggs per year. Draw and label the
most likely survivorship curve for this species, and explain your choice.
Calculations
1. At time t1 you capture, mark and release 60 individuals. At time t2 you capture 144
individuals; 24 of them are marked (= recaptures). What is your estimate of population size?
2. On day 1 you capture, mark and release 78 house sparrows. Two days later you capture both
marked and unmarked birds; the number marked is 26. You estimate a population size of 195
individuals. How many unmarked birds were captured on day 2?
3. You trap, mark and release 35 field mice. Three days later you trap both marked and
unmarked mice; 34 individuals are unmarked. You estimate a population size of 140 individuals.
How many recaptures were included in the second sample?
Remember for the following questions that:
r = reproductive rate (or growth rate)  r = (births – deaths)/N
N = population size at beginning of internal
rmax = when reproductive rate is maximum and so represented the bioitic potential (It is called the
intrinsic rate of reproduction)
5. If a population of 500 individuals is showing an intrinsic rate of growth of .4, how much will the
population size change in 2 hours.
6. If a population of 200 individuals has a reproductive rate of 0.05, how long will it take the population
to change by 50 individuals if the carrying capacity is 250.