Assignment 5: Biome/Ecosystem Project

Alyssa Nucci AP-Biology The Temperate Deciduous Forest:  Population Growth  Exponential Growth:         Exponential growth is growth where the rate increases faster than the growing total number or size. This type of growth occurs when a population is increasing without any limiting factors. An exponential graph rises in a "J" curve from the lower left to the upper right. In the Temperate Deciduous Forest, an example of an organism of exponential growth is bacteria. In this biome, the medium provides the nutrients necessary for bacteria's growth. There are four stages to the exponential growth of these bacteria. Once bacteria enter the ecosystem, there is a period of time called the lag phase, where the population size remains constant. Next comes the log phase, where cell numbers increase in an exponential growth pattern. This phase continues until nutrients are expended, causing the cell growth rate to sl...

Alyssa Nucci  AP Biology-4 The Temperate Deciduous Forest:  K-Selected and R-Selected Species         K-selected species are species whose populations fluctuate at or near the carrying capacity of the environment. K-selected species have relatively stable populations and produce low numbers of offspring, therefore are density dependent. These species are characterized by long gestation periods, slow maturation, and long life spans. K-selected species tend to live in stable biological communities like forests. Examples of K-selected species include the American black bear, red fox, and white-tailed deer.         R-selected species are species whose populations are defined by their biotic potential, meaning their maximum reproductive capacity. These species produce high numbers of offspring, require short gestation periods, mature quickly, and have short life spans. R-selected species ...