Biology Chapter 5: Populations

logistic growth

Growth pattern in which a population's growth rate slows or stops following a period of exponential growth

exponential growth

Growth pattern in which the individuals in a population reproduce at a constant rate

carrying capacity

Largest number of individuals of a population that a environment can support

Immigration

Movement of individuals into a population

Population Density

Number of individuals per unit area

Demography

Scientific study of human populations.

demographic transition

change in a population from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates

Population Distribution

describes the way individuals are spaced out across their range.

limiting factor

factor that causes the growth of a population to decrease

density-independent limiting factor

limiting factor that affects all populations in similar ways, regardless of population size

density-dependent limiting factor

limiting factor that depends on population size

Emigration

movement of individuals out of an area

Age Structure

number of males and females of each age in a population