Limiting Factors Lab Understanding population dynamics Purpose of

Limiting Factors Lab Understanding population dynamics

Purpose of Lab • Define limiting factors • Identify and describe the essential components of a habitat • Understand that fluctuations in populations are natural as ecological systems undergo constant change • Graph the data collected to show hoe population size differs over time with a changing environment

Warm Up • Identify some of the basic needs of animals

Problem Statements and Hypothesis • Problem statement #1 : How will resource availability affect the population of a species in an ecosystem? • Hypothesis #1 MUST BE AN IF THEN STATEMENT • Problem statement #2 : How will a density- independent limiting factor (flood or drought) affect the population of species or drought? • Hypothesis #2 MUST BE AN IF THEN STATEMENT • Problem statement #3: How will a density- dependent limiting factor (predator) affect the population of species in an ecosystem? • Hypothesis #3 MUST BE AN IF THEN STATEMENT

Procedure Part A • • # 1 = Deer #2 = Food…. Rub stomach with hand #3 = Water…. Raise hand to mouth as if to drink from a cup #4 = Shelter …. Raise arms over head • *** YOU MUST BE HONEST! DO NOT CHANGE YOUR SYMBOL UNTIL THE END OF A ROUND!

Procedure Part A Game 1 • Resources do not move! Allow the deer to come to you. • If you are a deer, you may walk quickly to find the resources you need. Once you find it, you may take that resource (student) back to the deer side. This represents the deer successfully meeting its needs and reproducing. • If you are a deer and do not find your necessary resource, you remain in the environment to become a resource for a “fit” deer • RECORD THE NUMBER OF DEER IN EACH ROUND • (10 rounds total)

Procedure Part B Game 2 • Listen carefully to Mrs. Marshall or Mr. Sipes’ instructions • Resources may choose to be food, water, or shelter (you must be honest. You may only change your resource after a round is complete) • If you are a deer, you may walk quickly to find the resources you need. Once you find it, you may take that resource (student) back to the deer side. This represents the deer successfully meeting its needs and reproducing. • If you are a deer and do not find your necessary resource, you remain in the environment to become a resource for a “fit” deer • RECORD THE NUMBER OF DEER IN EACH ROUND (10 rounds total)

Procedure Part C Game 3 • • Mrs. Marshall or Mr. Sipes will introduce a predator. The predator starts in the “predator den” area The predator must HOP or SKIP A predator may only tag a deer when they are going towards a habitat and are between the habitat and deer lines Once a deer is tagged, the predator must HOP or SKIP the deer to its den. (Eat it) The “eaten” deer is now a predator Predators that fail to tag deer, die and become a resource KEEP TRACK OF THE PREDATORS AND THE DEER EACH ROUND