Survivorship curves
Definition
Survivorship curves represent the pattern of survival for individuals in a population over their lifespan. They show how likely it is for individuals to survive at different ages.
Analogy
Imagine survivorship curves as graphs showing the popularity of different TV shows over time. Some shows may start with high viewership but decline rapidly (Type III curve), while others may maintain steady viewership throughout (Type II curve), or even increase in popularity before declining (Type I curve).
Related terms
Life expectancy: This term refers to the average number of years an individual is expected to live based on current mortality rates.
Age structure diagram/pyramid: A graphical representation that shows the distribution of various age groups within a population.
Mortality rate: The measure of deaths in a given population during a specific period of time.
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