At the end of this chapter, the student will be able to: Explain the factors that affect population size. Describe environmental resistance and biotic potential in terms of population growth. Explain the difference between the J-shaped and S-shaped population growth forms. Discuss the idea of carrying capacity in influencing population growth. Explain the factors that regulate population growth. Discuss the factors that contribute to human population growth. Discuss the impact of unchecked human population growth.
DISCUSSION
Conclusions Population dynamics is one of the fundamental areas of ecology, forming both the basis for the study of more complex communities and of many applied questions. Understanding population dynamics is the key to understanding the relative importance of competition for resources and predation in structuring ecological communities, which is a central question in ecology. Population dynamics plays a central role in many approaches to preserving biodiversity, which until now have been primarily focused on a single species approach. The calculation of the intrinsic growth rate of a species from a life table is often the central piece of conservation plans. Similarly, management of natural resources, such as fisheries, depends on population dynamics as a way to determine appropriate management actions.