Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Death rate (D) is the measure of the number of deaths in a specific population, per unit of time, usually expressed per 1000 individuals per year. It is a crucial factor in understanding population dynamics and environmental limits to growth.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
Death rate directly influences the overall population size along with birth rate.
Environmental factors such as disease, predation, and resource availability can significantly impact death rates.
A higher death rate can lead to a declining population if it exceeds the birth rate over time.
Death rates are important for calculating other demographic metrics like life expectancy and population growth rate.
Age-specific death rates can vary greatly within a population due to differences in vulnerability among age groups.
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Related terms
birthRate: The number of live births in a specific population, per unit of time, usually expressed per 1000 individuals per year.
carryingCapacity: The maximum number of individuals that an environment can sustain without degradation.
populationGrowthRate: The change in the number of individuals in a population over time, accounting for births, deaths, immigration, and emigration.