Population &

Biodiversity
 Before we begin….
• What is a population?
– A group of individuals that belong to the same
species and live in the same area
• What is density?
– The quantity per mass unit
• Population Density?
– The number of individuals per unit area
 Population Growth
• Three factors can affect population size:

• 1. number of births

• 2. number of deaths

• 3. number of individuals entering

(immigration) or leaving (emigration)
• Birth rate < death rate – population decreases
• If birth rate = death rate – population stays the
same
• Birth rate > death rate – population increases
• Under ideal conditions with unlimited resources, a
population will grow exponentially
• Exponential growth: individuals in a population
reproduce at a constant rate
• Ex: bacteria video
Logistic growth – population’s
growth slows or stops
following a period of
exponential growth

Carrying capacity – the largest

number of individuals that a
given environment can support
 Why don’t populations grow
exponentially?
• Limiting factors
cause populations
to decrease in size
• Ex: food, space,
competition,
predation,
parasitism, disease,
weather, climate,
habitat
 Threats to population
• Over harvesting/hunting
• Habitat destruction
• Pollution
• Invasive/non-native
species
• Changes in the
environment
• Genetic loss
• Renewable resources – Can regenerate if they
are alive or can be replenished by
biogeochemical cycles if they are nonliving
– Ex: tree, fresh water
• Nonrenewable resources – cannot be
replenished by natural processes
– Ex: fossil fuel
Overharvesting
 Habitat Destruction

• Habitat fragmentation – splitting of ecosystems into

small fragments
• Pieces of habitat are biological “islands”
• The smaller the “island” the fewer species can live there
• Ex: Florida Panther
 Pollution
• Pollutant – harmful material that can enter the
biosphere through the land, air, or water
• Ex: car exhaust, pesticides (like DDT)
DDT caused the thinning
of egg shells, causing
many to call for the
discontinuation of
DDT as a pesticide
Rachel Carson spoke against the use of
DDT, and promoted the use of natural
pest control
 European Starlings were imported to help
control pests; but they soon began to compete
with native species for nesting space
Invasive Species:
- introduced into new habitats
- reproduce rapidly
- new habitat lacks the parasites and predators
that control their population “back home”
Invasive Species:
Cuban Anole

Native Species:
Green Anole
Hawaii
 Biodiversity
• Bio =
• Diversity =

So….
Biodiversity = the variety (genetically too) of all
organisms in the biosphere!
BIODIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT!!!!
 WHY????
• Greatest natural resource
• Food
• Industrial products (eg. timber)
• Medicine
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/in
vasion-of-the-giant-pythons/video-alligator-
vs-python/5541
/
How do we measure populations?
 Transect Line
• Counting all organisms (or a specific species)
along a given line and length in a given area.
 Quadrat
• Counting all organisms (or species) in a given
area (usually a small square).
Aerial Photography
 Task
• We will go outside to run population
studies
• You will take a paper and a pen
• You will count the number of individuals
of a species in a given area.
• You will then record the number and
their behavior.
Can’t we all just get along?