Population biology

The population biology is a branch of ecology and deals with the structure and development of animal, plant and microbial populations.

Important sub-areas are the population ecology and population genetics. The population ecology is concerned among other things with the influence of the environment on size, vitality, age and gender distribution. From the population genetics is examined, among other things, how genes are passed on to the next generation and exchanged between the individual populations of a species.

In many cases, other special areas to population biology to be accounted for, such as biogeography, especially through the specialized field of island biogeography and phylogeography (description of the phylogenetic and geographic origin of individual genetic lines). In addition, the term is also a link in the evolutionary ecology, in particular the extent of genetic and evolutionary findings are integrated.

The population biology is not only of purely scientific interest, but their findings are also many practical applications, especially in the protection of species.