A graph that shows the relationship between the survival and age of a population of a particular species. Survival can be represented as the percentage of individuals of the original population that have survived after a specified time. Some types of organism, notably those that produce many offspring (e.g. bacteria), have a low survival rate in the early stages of development (line A on graph; see r selection). Other organisms, which have a low rate of reproduction, tend to be long-lived and their population numbers are maintained over a long period (line B on graph; see K selection). This type of survivorship curve is typical of a human population in a developed country.
Survival curves
Graphic description of the survival of individuals in a population, from birth to the maximum age attained by any one member. Usually it is plotted as the logarithm of the number of survivors as a function of age. If a population has a constant mortality rate the graph will be a straight line. The technique may also be used to plot the survivorship of whole populations, species, genera, or higher taxa. See also cohort.
- atomic volume
- atomic weight
- atomism
- atomism, logical
- atomization
- atomizer
- atom-probe field-ion microscopy
- atonement
- ATP
- ATPase
- ATP synthetase
- A-Train
- A-train
- Atria
- atrial natriuretic peptide
- atrioventricular node
- atrioventricular valve
- atrium
- atrophy
- Licence Raj
- licensing
- licentious
- lichenometry
- lichens
- Lichida