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Population

vr.wm-liv-003 · wm-liv-003-population

Populations of one species in a defined area, with abundance, distribution and trend.

World Models Physical world and living systems PHY.LIV.POP
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

3 bundles · 4 layers · 5 findings · 11 questions

Delimitation Which organisms belong to the population.

Taxon and area

The species or unit and the area and period that delimit the population.

Population unit

The population names its taxon, its area and the basis on which it is delimited.

  1. Which taxon, subspecies or management unit does the population consist of?
  2. Which area and period delimit the population?
  3. Is the boundary set by genetics, geography or management convenience?
State and dynamics How large the population is and how it changes.

Abundance and structure

Counts, density and age or sex structure.

Abundance estimate

Abundance is stated with its survey method and confidence interval.

  1. What abundance or density was estimated, and with which survey method?
  2. What confidence interval or error is stated for the estimate?

Population structure

Age, sex or stage composition where known.

  1. What age, sex or stage composition was recorded?
  2. How many breeding individuals does the population contain?

Trend

Change in abundance over time.

Trend over time

The trend is computed from comparable surveys over a stated period.

  1. Over which period and from which surveys was the trend computed?
  2. Were survey methods comparable across the period?
Status and management Assessment and human management of the population.

Assessment and measures

Conservation status, harvest limits and management actions.

Status and measures

The population has an assessed status and any management measures in force.

  1. Which conservation status or stock assessment applies, and who issued it?
  2. Which harvest limits, protections or recovery actions are in force?

Classifiers Filled

Family
World Models
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
standalone-mm
Navigation path
NAV.PHY.LIV.POP
Domain
PHY.LIV.POP
Industry
Cross-industry
Tags
populationphy.liv.pop
Also called
P6, P7

What it is Filled

A population is a group of organisms of one species, or a defined subspecies or stock, living in a defined area at the same time and able to interbreed. It is described by its abundance, distribution, structure and trend over time; a single organism, the species as a taxon and human demographic populations are outside it.

Why it exists Filled

Populations of one species in a defined area, with abundance, distribution and trend.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • A population is a group of living individuals in a place and time, not the species as a classification.
  • Its key facts are estimates, so method and uncertainty are part of every value.
  • Distinct from a biodiversity occurrence, which is a single record of an organism at a place and time.
  • Human populations are described by demography and population group models, not here.

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Publish precise locations of sensitive or threatened populations where this enables poaching or collection.
  • Present a model projection as a survey count.
  • Combine estimates from incompatible methods into one trend without saying so.
  • Set or change harvest limits or protection status.
  • Disturb animals or habitats when collecting data with field devices.

Only with a human decision

  • Approving a stock assessment or conservation status change.
  • Deciding a cull, harvest quota or translocation.
  • Releasing location data for sensitive populations.

May

  • Compile abundance estimates and trends from cited surveys.
  • Map distribution from verified occurrence records.
  • Report the conservation status and management measures that apply.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Population figures drive decisions on hunting, fishing and protection that affect species survival.
  • Location data for rare species can attract poaching and illegal collection.
  • Local and indigenous communities depending on a population have a stake in how it is managed.

Who is affected

  • The organisms and their ecosystems
  • Communities that harvest or live alongside the population
  • Conservation and wildlife authorities
  • Fishers, hunters and farmers

Owners Filled

Steward

A wildlife, fisheries or conservation authority that assesses and manages populations within its jurisdiction.

Master systems

  • National biodiversity monitoring database
  • Fisheries stock assessment database
  • Biodiversity occurrence data network

Links to other meta-models Filled

references

  • wm-liv-001-taxon - The population belongs to a taxon described there.
  • wm-liv-010-habitat - Populations occupy habitats described there.

related

  • wm-liv-022-conservation-status-assessment - Status assessments are made for populations and species.
  • world-p6-flora-and-vegetation - Split off from this legacy card on 2026-10-05; the legacy card keeps the primary subject.

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • A population is identified by its taxon identifier, such as a taxonomic name usage identifier, together with its area and period.
  • Managed stocks carry the identifiers assigned by the assessing body.

Direct properties required Filled

  • Abundance as a count of individuals, with survey method and confidence interval.
  • Density in individuals per square kilometre or per hectare, for a stated area.
  • Range or area of occupancy in square kilometres.
  • Trend as percentage change per year or per generation over a stated period.
  • Biomass in tonnes for harvested stocks.

Recognition required Filled

  • A population is recognised through survey counts, occurrence records, tracking or genetic sampling within a defined area.
  • Often confused with the species as a whole, with a single sighting or with the habitat it occupies.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • Abundance can be estimated by counts, mark-recapture, transects or environmental DNA.
  • Distribution can be mapped from occurrence records and models.
  • Trends can be computed from repeated comparable surveys.

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Overharvest when abundance is overestimated.
  • Poaching enabled by published locations.
  • Disturbance of animals during surveys.

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • Darwin Core for occurrence and survey records.
  • GBIF data publishing for occurrence data.
  • IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria for status assessment.

Context of use required Filled

  • Used in conservation, wildlife management, fisheries and environmental impact assessment.
  • Many populations are protected by national law and international agreements.

Sources Filled

  1. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
  2. Darwin Core standard (Biodiversity Information Standards, TDWG)
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

Open questions

  • Planned model: boundary questions, research and every section remain to be written.

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification AGENTS.md Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

planned (registry candidate) · todo

Built from: models/runtime-index.json, ver-cy/world-models/card-supplements/wm-liv-003-population.json

Planned entry, hidden from the catalogue until researched.