General Characteristics of Biological
Population
2. Mortality (Death Rate)
Mortality refers to the number of
Population - A group of similar species living in individuals that die within a population
a certain place at the same time. over a given period. High mortality can
“How Big is a Population?” reduce population size, especially due to
disease, predation, or environmental
A population is a group of individuals of the changes.
same species that live in a specific area at the
same time. The study of population Examples:
characteristics helps in understanding how Penguin Deaths Due to Climate
species interact with their environment and how Change – Rising temperatures have
their numbers change over time. Three key caused thousands of Adelie penguin
characteristics of a biological population are chicks to die from starvation due to
size, density, and distribution. shrinking fish populations.
Bee Colony Collapse – Pesticides
and diseases have led to mass bee
Population Size mortality, affecting pollination and
agriculture.
Population size refers to the total
number of individuals of a species within a 3. Migration
specific area. It is an important factor in
determining the stability and sustainability of a Migration refers to the movement of
population. A large population size may indicate individuals into or out of a population,
a healthy species with good survival rates, while affecting population size and genetic
a small population may be at risk of extinction diversity. Migration can be classified as
due to genetic bottlenecks or environmental immigration (entering a population) or
threats. emigration (leaving a population).
1. Natality (Birth Rate) a. Immigration (Entering a
Population)
Natality refers to the number of
individuals born within a population over Immigration increases
a specific period. A high birth rate can population size as new individuals arrive
lead to population growth, while a low and settle in a location.
birth rate may slow expansion.
Examples:
Examples:
Butterfly Migration
Sea Turtles Hatching – A female (Monarchs) – Monarch
sea turtle lays around 100 eggs per butterflies migrate from
nest, but only a few hatchlings Canada to Mexico in the
survive to adulthood. winter, increasing the
Elephant Calves – Elephants have butterfly population in
a low birth rate, with females giving Mexico.
birth to a single calf every 4–5 Wolves Reintroduced to
years, leading to slow population Yellowstone – The
growth. reintroduction of wolves in
Rabbit Reproduction – Rabbits the U.S. led to a rise in the
have high natality, with females wolf population and restored
producing 30–40 offspring per year. balance to the ecosystem.
Mosquito Population Growth – Bird Migration to
Mosquitoes lay hundreds of eggs at Wetlands – Millions of birds
a time, causing rapid population migrate to warmer regions,
increases in warm climates. boosting populations in
tropical wetlands during
winter.
b. Emigration (Leaving a Population Distribution
Population) “How Individuals are Spread Out?”
Emigration decreases Population distribution refers to how
population size as individuals leave their individuals are spaced within their habitat. It can
habitat to settle elsewhere. be classified into three types: clumped, uniform,
Examples: and random.
Frogs Dispersing Due to Types and Examples:
Pollution – Polluted water Clumped Distribution: Individuals are
bodies force frog grouped together, often around
populations to leave and resources or due to social behavior.
find cleaner habitats.
Zebra Migration in Africa – Examples:
Zebras leave certain regions
during the dry season in o Schooling fish (sardines) stay in
search of food and water. groups to avoid predators.
Shark Movement Due to o Elephants stay in herds for
Overfishing – Overfishing protection and social interaction.
has forced some shark
species to migrate to
different waters, reducing Uniform Distribution: Individuals are
their numbers in evenly spaced, usually due to territorial
overexploited regions. behavior or competition for resources.
Examples:
Population Density o Penguins maintain a fixed
“How Crowded is a Population?” distance from each other when
nesting.
Population density refers to the number o Desert shrubs grow at even
of individuals per unit area or volume. It provides distances to reduce competition
insight into how crowded a population is in a for water.
particular habitat. High density can lead to
competition for resources, while low density may
indicate an abundance of resources or habitat
Random Distribution: Individuals are
fragmentation.
spread unpredictably, with no specific
: Examples: pattern. This usually occurs when
environmental conditions and resources
Bamboo Forest and Pandas in China are evenly distributed.
– Giant pandas live in low-density
populations due to habitat Examples:
fragmentation, with fewer than 2 pandas
o Dandelions grow randomly in
per 100 square kilometers.
open fields, as their seeds are
Ant Colonies in Rainforests – Some
dispersed by the wind.
tropical rainforests have over 8 million
o Spider populations in forests
ants per hectare, making them one of
the densest populations on Earth. settle wherever they find
Coral Reefs and Clownfish – A single suitable web-building sites.
coral reef may contain hundreds of
clownfish per square meter, benefiting
from the shelter provided by sea
anemones.
Carrying Capacity (K) and Limiting Factors Types of Limiting Factors:
The environment can only support a Density-Dependent Factors – These
certain number of individuals before resources factors become more intense as the
become scarce. This concept is known as population grows.
carrying capacity (K)—the maximum number of o Example: Competition for food
individuals a habitat can sustain without increases when population
degrading the ecosystem. When a population density is high.
exceeds its carrying capacity, resources become Density-Independent Factors – These
depleted, leading to competition, starvation, affect a population regardless of its size.
disease, and population decline. o Example: Natural disasters like
floods and wildfires can wipe out
populations.
CARRYING CAPACITY (K)
“The Population Limit”
Examples of limiting Factors:
The environment has a limited capacity
Drought in a Savannah – Limited water
to support a certain number of individuals.
availability can lead to massive die-offs
Carrying capacity refers to the maximum
of animals such as zebras and
population size that can be supported in a
elephants.
particular area without destroying the habitat.
Hunting and Overfishing – Overfishing
Examples: of tuna has reduced their population
size, affecting marine food chains and
Fish in a Pond – A small pond can only forcing fishing industries to impose
sustain a limited number of fish. If the limits.
fish population exceeds the pond’s
ability to provide food and oxygen, many
will die off.
Deer in a Forest – A forest can only
support a certain number of deer based
on the availability of plants. If the
population grows too large, food
shortages lead to starvation and a
population decline.
Humans in Urban Areas – Cities have
a carrying capacity based on resources
like water, housing, and food.
Overcrowding can lead to shortages,
pollution, and infrastructure strain.
LIMITING FACTORS
“Why Populations Don’t Grow Forever”
Environmental elements that control
population size and prevent unlimited growth.
Limiting factors are environmental conditions
that restrict population growth and prevent
populations from growing indefinitely. These
factors regulate population size and ensure
balance within an ecosystem.
