Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Population dynamics refers to the study of how and why the number of individuals in a population changes over time. It involves understanding factors such as birth rates, death rates, immigration, and emigration.
Related terms
Birth Rate: This is the rate at which new individuals are born into a population. It's like how many new players join our game of musical chairs.
Death Rate: This is the rate at which individuals die in a population. In our analogy, it's similar to how many players get out from our game.
Carrying Capacity: This is the maximum number of individuals that an environment can support indefinitely without degradation. It's like having only so many chairs available for everyone playing musical chairs.