Dispersion
Population dispersion is the general pattern in which individuals are distributed through a specified area. The population dispersion of groups of organism within a population will vary through the range because environmental conditions and suitable niches will differ throughout a population’s geographic range.
There are 3 main dispersion patterns: clumped, uniform, and random
1. clumped dispersion
- most populations exhibit clumped dispersion
- occurs when organisms are densely grouped in areas of the habitat with favourable conditions for survival
- e.g., Yellow goatfish are often found clumped in schools
2. uniform dispersion
- individuals are evenly distributed throughout the habitat
- results from competition between individuals that set up territories for feeding, breeding, or nesting
- e.g., the King penguins nest on South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic Ocean
3. random dispersion
- individuals are spread throughout a habitat in an unpredictable and patternless manner
- habitat conditions are virtually uniform
- e.g., in tropical rain forests, tress of the same species can be randomly dispersed