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Unit 1_ Population

The document discusses the concepts of population growth and its significance in environmental engineering, defining population and its features such as size, density, natality, mortality, and dispersion. It explains the characteristics of exponential and logistic growth, including their graphical representations and factors influencing each type. The importance of carrying capacity and its impact on population dynamics is also highlighted.

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Soham Das
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5 views

Unit 1_ Population

The document discusses the concepts of population growth and its significance in environmental engineering, defining population and its features such as size, density, natality, mortality, and dispersion. It explains the characteristics of exponential and logistic growth, including their graphical representations and factors influencing each type. The importance of carrying capacity and its impact on population dynamics is also highlighted.

Uploaded by

Soham Das
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unit 1

• Points to be discussed:

Population growth and associated problems. Importance of population


study in environmental engineering.

BY: ANKANA MANDAL


What is population?
• Population can be defined as the total number of
individuals, whether human, animal, plant, or
microorganism, residing in a specific area or ecosystem.
Features of population

• Population size and density


• Natality (Birth rate)
• Mortality (Death rate)
• Survivorship curves
• Population growth curve
• Population dispersion
• Population Size:
This refers to the total number of individuals within a specific
geographical range. Population size can fluctuate due to various
ecological factors, such as resource availability and environmental
conditions.
• Population Density:
Density is defined as the number of individuals per unit area, serving as
a crucial indicator of a species’ adaptability to its habitat.
• Natality:
Refers to the number of births in the population during a given period
time.
• Mortality:
Refers to the number of deaths in the population during a given period
time.
• Survivorship curve:
It is the graphical representation of the number of individuals in
a population that can be expected to survive to any specific age. There
are three general types of curves.
1. The Type I curve, illustrated by the large mammals, tracks
organisms that tend to live long lives (low death rate and high
survivorship rate); toward the end of their life expectancies,
however, there is a dramatic increase in the death rate.
2. The Type III curve, characteristic of small mammals, fishes,
and invertebrates, is the opposite: it describes organisms
with a high death rate (or low survivorship rate) immediately
following birth.
3. The Type II curve considers birds, mice, and other organisms
characterized by a relatively constant mortality or
survivorship rate throughout their life expectancies.
• Population Dispersion
Dispersion refers to the spatial arrangement of individuals within
their habitat, influencing their interactions and ecological fitness.
The patterns of dispersion can be classified as:

• Random Distribution
• Uniform Distribution
• Clumped Distribution
Population growth
• Population growth is the change in the number of
members of a certain plant or animal species in a
particular location during a particular time period.
• The average change in a population over time is referred
to as the population growth rate.
• A positive growth rate indicates a population increase,
and a negative growth rate indicates a population
decrease.
• On the basis of mathematical functions the population growth rates can
be classified as:
A. Exponential growth.
B. Logistic growth.
Carrying capacity (k)
• The average population density or population size of
a species below which its numbers tend to increase and
above which its numbers tend to decrease because of
shortages of resources.
• The carrying capacity is different for each species in
a habitat because of that species’ particular food,
shelter, and social requirements.
Characteristics of Exponential Growth

• Constant Growth Rate: Exponential growth occurs


when the rate of reproduction is proportional to the
population size. In other words, the larger the
population, the faster it grows.
• Unrestricted Resources: Exponential growth assumes
an abundance of resources necessary for sustenance
and reproduction. These resources can include food,
shelter, space, and other environmental factors.
• No Competition: The model disregards factors such as
predation, disease, and competition for resources,
which would limit population growth in real-world
situation.
• J-Shaped Curve: When plotted on a graph, exponential
growth produces a J-shaped curve, with the
population size increasing rapidly over time.
Exponential growth (J-shaped curve)

•r = (-ve) i.e b<d (population is


declined)
• r = (+ve) i.e b>d (population is
expanding)
• r = 0 i.e b=d (population
growth will stop)
r= intrinsic rate of natural increase.
Characteristics of Logistic Growth

• Limited Resources: Logistic growth considers the finite availability of resources in an


environment, which imposes constraints on population growth as it approaches
carrying capacity.
• Carrying Capacity: The maximum population size that can be supported by the
available resources and environmental conditions. As the population approaches this
limit, competition for resources increases, leading to a decrease in the growth rate.
• S-Shaped Curve: When plotted on a graph, logistic growth produces an S-shaped
curve. Initially, the curve resembles exponential growth, but it gradually flattens as
the population stabilizes near the carrying capacity. It initially shows lag phase
followed by phases of acceleration and deacceleration and finally reach the
stationary phase.
• Density-Dependent Factors: As the population density rises, factors such as
competition for resources, predation, disease, and territory influences it, which
contributes to the deceleration of growth.
Logistic growth (S-shaped curve)

= environmental resistance.

Thus logistic growth curve is more realistic than exponential growth curve.

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