A Primer of Ecology, Page 2A Primer of Ecology presents a concise but detailed exposition of the most common mathematical models in population and community ecology. It is intended to demystify ecological models and the mathematics behind them by deriving the models from first principles. The Primer explains in detail basic concepts of exponential and logistic population growth, age-structured demography, metapopulation dynamics, competition, predation, island biogeography, and, in a chapter new to this edition, succession. The book may be used as a self-teaching tutorial by students, as a primary textbook, or as a supplemental text to a general ecology textbook. |
Contents
X | 9 |
Logistic Population Growth | 25 |
Discrete Population Growth | 35 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
abundance age class assume assumptions average axis birth and death birth rate calculate capita carrying capacity Chapter coexistence colonization competition complex constant continuous curve cycle death rate declines decrease density depend described discrete distribution dynamics ecology effect environment equal Equation equilibrium estimate example exponential growth Expression extinction extinction rate Figure Finally function gives graph growing habitat important increase individuals initial island isocline less limited logistic Lotka-Volterra matrix maximum mean measured metapopulation natural Note occupied occur offspring organisms patches period persistence plants plot population growth population growth rate population size predator predictions present prey probability problem produce proportion reached region relatively represents reproductive response schedule shows simple single space species stable stage step stochasticity structure succession Suppose survivorship Table term tion Type units vector victim population zero