3.3 Survivorship Curves

• What are survivorship curves?

  Graphical survival rate
• Type I survivorship curves are common in humans.
• Survivorship curves show the survival rate of a species over its lifespan
• Order the three types of survivorship curves based on their early-life mortality rates, from lowest to highest.

  1️⃣ Type I

  2️⃣ Type II

  3️⃣ Type III
• Which type of survivorship curve shows constant mortality throughout life?

  Type II
• Type III survivorship curves are common in fish and plants.
• In Type II survivorship curves, the mortality rate remains constant
• What type of survivorship curve is seen in birds like robins?

  Type II
• What do survivorship curves show?

  Survival rate over lifespan
• Type I survivorship curves show high survival rates early and mid-life, with mortality increasing sharply in old age
• Type II survivorship curves have a constant mortality rate throughout life.
• What type of survivorship curve is typical of many fish species?

  Type III
• Match the survivorship curve type with its survival and mortality characteristics:

  Type I ↔️ High survival early and mid-life, increasing mortality in old age

  Type II ↔️ Constant survival and mortality throughout life

  Type III ↔️ High mortality in early life, low thereafter
• Type I survivorship curves are commonly seen in mammals
• Type II survivorship curves are characteristic of birds and reptiles.
• What type of survivorship curve is typical of plants and fish?

  Type III
• What is one factor that can affect survivorship curves?

  Predation
• Predation reduces survival rates, especially in early life stages
• How does poor habitat quality affect survivorship curves?

  Increases mortality
• Disease outbreaks can drastically decrease survivorship.
• Order the steps to apply survivorship curves in population ecology:

  1️⃣ Collect data on survival rates

  2️⃣ Graph the survivorship curve

  3️⃣ Analyze the shape of the curve

  4️⃣ Draw conclusions about population dynamics
• What is the term for a graphical representation showing the survival rate of a species over its lifespan?

  Survivorship curve
• Type II survivorship curves show a constant mortality rate for all ages
• Type III survivorship curves are typical of organisms with high early-life mortality but longer survival for survivors.
• What do survivorship curves graphically represent?

  Survival rate over lifespan
• Survivorship curves are not useful in understanding population dynamics.

  False
• There are three main types of survivorship curves
• Match the survivorship curve type with its survival rate pattern:

  Type I ↔️ High survival early and mid-life

  Type II ↔️ Constant survival rate throughout life

  Type III ↔️ Low survival in early life
• What do survivorship curves help ecologists understand about a population?

  Growth and decline factors
• A Type III survivorship curve suggests that conservation efforts should focus on protecting early life stages.
• Researchers apply survivorship curves to develop targeted conservation strategies
• Arrange the steps ecologists might take when studying survivorship curves:

  1️⃣ Observe survival rates

  2️⃣ Create a survivorship curve

  3️⃣ Analyze mortality patterns

  4️⃣ Develop conservation strategies
• What is a survivorship curve?

  Survival rate graph
• Type II survivorship curves show constant mortality rates throughout life.
• Type I survivorship curves are characterized by high survival rates early and mid-life, with mortality increasing in old age
• Match the survivorship curve type with an example organism:

  Type I ↔️ Humans

  Type II ↔️ Birds

  Type III ↔️ Fish
• What do survivorship curves show?

  Survival rate over lifespan
• A Type II survivorship curve has a constant mortality rate throughout life
• Organisms with a Type III survivorship curve have high mortality rates in early life.
• Match the survivorship curve type with its survival rate pattern:

  Type I ↔️ High early survival

  Type II ↔️ Constant survival rate

  Type III ↔️ Low early survival