GE ELECTIVE 3N – PREMIDTERM REVIEWER

Module 1: HUMAN POPULATION and shoots. For example, a population of grasses

may consist of several genets, each of which has
CHAPTER 1. POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS several ramets.
As you go through this topic, you will be able to
a. Define what population is; POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS
b. Enumerate the different characteristics of population; A population has several characteristics or attributes
c. Calculate the birth rate, mortality rate and natality rate which are a function of the whole group and not of the
of a population; individual. Different populations can be compared by
d. Differentiate the two types of population growth curve, measuring these attributes. These attributes are
the curve and the J-curve; and population density, natality, mortality, distributions, etc.
e. Identify the two factors affecting the birth rate of a The study of the group characteristics of a population,
population. their changes over time and prediction of future changes
is known as demography.
LESSON 1. POPULATION GROWTH
Each species in an ecosystem exist as a population. 1. Population Density
Members of a population rely on the same resources, are  is the size of the population.
influenced by similar environmental factors and are bred  it is generally expressed as the number of
with one another. individuals or the population biomass per unit
area or volume.
POPULATION
- consists of a group of interbreeding or potentially Two Types of Densities
interbreeding organisms found in the same space a. Crude Density
or area at the same time. – is the density per unit of total space. Generally,
populations do not occupy all the space as whole
POPULATION ECOLOGY because all area may not be habitable.
- is the study of populations (especially population
abundance) and how they change over time. b. Specific (or Ecological) Density
- it studies the spatial and temporal patterns in the – is the density per unit of
abundance and distribution of organisms and of habitable space. It includes only that portion of
the mechanisms that produce those patterns. total space that can actually be colonized by the
population.
Multicellular organisms are of two kinds, unitary
organisms and modular organisms. Determining Population Size
a. In unitary organisms, the form is highly determinate Population size can be measured by several methods:
consisting usually of a strictly defined number of parts a) Abundance
(such as legs or wings) established only during – absolute numbers of individuals in population.
embryogenesis. Their pattern of development and
final form are predictable. b) Numerical Density
– number of individuals per unit area or volume. It is
For example, all dogs have four legs, all squid have expressed when the size of individuals in the
two eyes, etc. population is relatively uniform, as in mammals,
insects and birds.
b. In modular organisms, on the other hand, neither
timing nor form is predictable. These organisms grow c) Biomass Density
by the repeated iteration of modules, usually to yield a – is expressed in terms of wet weight, dry weight,
branching pattern. volume and carbon and nitrogen weight per unit
area or volume.
Examples, plants and many sessile benthic
invertebrates. Population Density can be calculated by the
following equation:
In modular organisms, a single genetic individual (or
genet) can consist of many modules (or ramets)
capable of existence as individuals.

In plants, a genet is an individual that has arisen

from a seed. A ramet is a new plant which has
Dp – density population
arisen through vegetative propagation and is now
N – total population as the number of people
a completely independent plant with its own roots

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Encoded by: Sappal, Sharifa J.
GE ELECTIVE 3N – PREMIDTERM REVIEWER

A – is the land area covered by that population,

usually expressed in terms of either square miles Death rates vary among the species and are correlated
or square kilometers. with birth rates.

2. Natality When the rate of rate of natality is equal to the rate of

 refers to the rate of production or birth rate per mortality the population is stationary. A birth death ratio is
unit time. called Vital index.
 it is an expression of production of new
individuals in the population by birth, hatching,
germination or fission.

4. Population Growth
 is one of the dynamic features of the species
population.
Natality varies from organism to organism. It depends
upon the population density and environmental factors. Population size increases in a characteristic way.
When the number of individuals of population is plotted on
It is a general rule that if the population density is the y-axis and the times on the x-axis, a curve is obtained
usually low, the birth rate is also low. This is so that indicates the trend in the growth of population size in
because the chances of mating between males a given time. This curve is called population growth
and females are low. curve.

If population density is unusually high, the birth There are two types of growth curves:
rate may also below due to poor nutrition or A. Sigmoid Curve or S-Curve
physiological or psychological problems related to When an organisms are introduced in the area, the
crowding. population increase is very slow in the beginning
(positive acceleration phase or lag phase), in the
The maximum number of births produced per middle phase, the population increase become very
individual under ideal conditions of environment is called rapid (logarithmic phase) and finally in the last phase,
potential natality. It is also called reproductive or biotic population increase is slowed down (negative
potential, absolute natality or maximum natality. acceleration phase) until an equilibrium is attained
and which the population size fluctuates according to
The actual number of births occurring under the variability of environment. The level beyond which no
existing environmental conditions is much less as major increase can occur is referred to as saturation
compared to absolute natality. It is referred to as level or carrying capacity. In the last phase the new
ecological natality or realized natality. It is not constant organisms are almost equal to the number of dying
for population and may vary with the size of population as individuals and thus there is no increase in population
well as with the time. size. In this way, one gets Sigmoid or S-shaped
growth curve (Fig.1).
3. Mortality
 refers to the number of deaths for every 1,000 B. J-Shaped Curve
people per year. Here, in the first phase there is no increase in the
 is correlated with the conditions of country, for population size because it needs sometime for
example, with the levels of prosperity, health, or adjustment in the new environment, it starts
the occurrence of war. multiplying rapidly. This increase in population
continued till large amount of food material exists in
the habitat. After sometime, due to the increase in
population size, food supply in the habitat becomes
Mortality can be expressed in the two ways: limited which ultimately results in decrease in food
a. Minimum or Specific or Potential Mortality size. This will result in J-shaped growth curve rather
– represents the minimum of the theoretical loss of than S-shaped (Fig.1).
individuals under ideal or non limiting condition.
b. Ecological or Realized Mortality
– refers to the death of an individual under existing
environmental conditions.

Mortality is affected by a number of factors, such as

density, competition, disease, predation and environment.
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GE ELECTIVE 3N – PREMIDTERM REVIEWER

 Example are in mosquitoes and

houseflies which area are abundant
in particular season and so also the
weeds in the field during the rainy
seasons.
b. Annual Cyclic
 is when the population of a species
show regular ups and downs over the
years. It appears in the form of a
Sigmoid curve with regular drops in
population after peaks.
Figure 1. J-curved and S-curved population growth 3. Irruptive
curves. – is when the change in population density does not
occur at regular intervals or in response to any
5. Age Distribution obvious environment factor. In this, there is a
 is another important characteristic of population sudden exponential or logarithmic increase in
which influences natality and mortality. population density in short time followed by
equally quick drop in population density due to
Mortality, usually varies with age as chance of death deaths, and final return to normal level or even
are more in early and later periods of lifespan. below that level.

Similarly, natality is restricted to certain age groups, as https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/aurora-state-

for example, in middle age-groups in higher animals. college-of-technology/bachelo r-of-science-in-civil-
engineering/module-1-of-people-and-the-earths-
According to Bodenheimer (1958), the individuals of a ecosystem/22638708
population can be divided into pre-reproductive,
productive and post productive groups.

The individuals in pre-productive group are young,

those of
productive group are mature, and those in post-
reproductive group are old.

The distribution of ages may be constant or variable. It

is directly related to the growth rate of the population.
Depending upon the proportion of the three age-groups,
population can be said to be growing, mature or stable,
and diminishing.

6. Population Fluctuations
 is the changing pattern of the size and density of
natural population over a period of time.

There a three types of the variations in the pattern

of population change:
1. Non-fluctuating
– I when the population remains static over the
years.
2. Cyclic
– maybe seasonal or annual.

a. Seasonal Cyclic
 occurs in the population if there are
additions to the population at the time
of maximum reproduction and loses
under adverse climatic conditions.

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Encoded by: Sappal, Sharifa J.