1. Population Simulation
Jackrabbits & Coyotes

2. Bellwork
Use the macroinvertebrate data table to answer the following Qs:
What is the water quality SCORE and ASSESSMENT?
Would you swim in this water? Explain why or why not.
Would adding POUCH SNAILS to the water make the water LESS healthy than it is now….explain why or why not?
If the population of dobsonflies suddenly decreased, but the mayflies & stoneflies stayed the same, what could that mean? 3 3 1 1 12 9 2 1 24
Excellent

3. Aquatic Macroinvertebrates react differently
They still exist in healthy streams! Healthy streams have everything (high diversity)!
But beware of LARGE populations of these…
Midges
Tubifex Worms
Pouch Snails

4. What is the relationship between the Roadrunner & Wile E. Coyote?
Describe another real life example of this kind of relationship.

5. Predator-Prey Relationship

6. Jackrabbits & Coyotes
How do you think the size of a predator population and prey population affect one another?
Write a hypothesis (if…then…as measured by…)

7. Procedures- in lab notebook
Spread out 3 rabbits (white) evenly across habitat (green sheet)
Hold 1 coyote (red) 1ft above lab table, & drop it once to eat. Must land on/touch a rabbit to eat it.
0 rabbits eaten= coyote dies; 1 rabbit eaten= coyote survives; rabbits eaten=coyote reproduces (add one coyote for ea. 3 eaten)
Surviving rabbits double (reproduce) every generation
Record & calculate end of each gen
Count out start #s for next gen & repeat for 18+ gens
If all coyotes die: 1 new coyote immigrates in
If all rabbits die: 3 new rabbits immigrate in

8. How many rabbits must a coyote eat in one drop to reproduce?
Example 3 1 3 3 1 6 1 2 4 4 1
How many rabbits must a coyote eat in one drop to reproduce?

9. Jobs
Jefe- Mathematician today (makes sure everything is counted & added correctly)- see me if you get to 200+ rabbits
Recorder- double checks jefe’s math before starting each round, makes sure everyone records info correctly
Materials- makes sure materials respected, put away, in charge of spreading out rabbits evenly as possible
Presenter- Measures drop distances each round, makes sure no one moves coyotes until all eaten rabbits counted & removed

10. Run your experiment!

11. Half-way Closure
What kinds of things are LIMITS to how big your jackrabbit or coyote population can grow?

12. Update your Ecology Divider
Ecology Unit
Notes
Labs
Assignments
Tests
-What is Life Notetaker
-Energy Flow Notes
-Trophic Levels & Rule of 10 Notes
-Biome Research Notes
-Biome Poster Notes
-Aquatic Macroinvertebrates & Water Quality
-Population Notes
-Cricket Mark & Recapture Lab
-Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Lab
-What Is Life Quiz

13. Population Notes (after break)

14. Limiting Factors
What kinds of factors LIMIT how big the jackrabbit & coyote populations can grow?

15. Limiting Factors
Limiting Factors = factors that limit the growth of a population: food, water, shelter, & space

16. Carrying Capacity Analogy
Bucket = habitat/resources Water = new births Overflow = deaths due to exceeding the carrying capacity

17. Carrying Capacity
Carrying capacity (K) = # of individuals that the environment can support
Overshoot

18. Estimate the carrying capacity of hares
~40-60

19. Estimate the carrying capacity of lynx
~20-30

20. Graph & Conclusion
Graph how the population of jackrabbits vs coyotes change over time (think about what kind of graph this is…)
Conclusion paragraph- in lab notebook under procedures (complete sentences, separate paper)

21. Closure Do on blank BW spot
Predator-Prey Population Graph
Which line do you think represents the prey population? Explain why you chose it.
Which line do you think represents the predator population? Explain why you chose it.
Estimate the carrying capacity of the prey population.
In what year did the prey population overshoot the carrying capacity the most?
What does this mean about the limiting factors that year?

22. Closure
Predator-Prey Population Graph
Which line do you think represents the prey population? Explain why you chose it.
Which line do you think represents the predator population? Explain why you chose it.
Estimate the carrying capacity of the prey population.
In what year did the prey population overshoot the carrying capacity the most?
What does this mean about the limiting factors that year?
Green line, b/c bigger population
Red, b/c smaller population
40 to 60
1865
There must have been lots of grass (or whatever prey feeds on), water, space, etc.

23. Sponge: Think about it…
Hunting permits are frequently issued to help control certain populations of animals.
When would a state want to issue a LOT of permits for deer hunting?
How could this affect the wolf population in the area?
Are deers autotrophs or heterotrophs? What about wolves? Explain your answers.