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.
- Delors Report
- Delphi
- Delphinus
- Del Rio, Andrès Manuel
- delta
- Delta Aquariid meteors
- delta bonding
- delta-brass
- Delta Cephei star
- delta circuit
- partial eta-squared
- partial evaluation
- partial fractions
- partial fractions expansion
- partial function
- partial least squares
- partial likelihood
- partial logic
- partially miscible liquids
- partially ordered set
- partially permeable membrane
- partial melting
- partial node
- partial order
- partial ordering