2.  Continuous Change!

3.   Click here to play video Click here to play video

4. Yesterday we talked about what can cause the population of Oak Ridge to change. We mentioned:  births, deaths  People moving in/out  Can be a maximum limit on how many people can live here

5.  Now let us put some specific words to these causes.  Look at your foldable.

6. POPULATIONS  Defined: a group of the same species living in the same area.

7. Birth Rate  Defined: the number born to a species over a period of time.  Example – in Oak Ridge we had 260 births in 2004.

8. Death Rate  Defined: the number that die over a period of time.  Example – in Oak Ridge we had 324 deaths in 2004.

9. Immigration  Defined: when an individual moves into a population permanently.

10. Emigration  Defined: when an individual permanently leaves or exits a population.

11. Carrying Capacity  Defined: the maximum number of a species that an ecosystem can support.  (e.g.) only so many squirrels can live in one tree.

12. Limiting Factors  Defined: anything that restricts the number in a population.  Examples – food, water, living space, shelter

13. This is all part of population

14.  We will play a game using populations of dung beetles as an example.  Let’s get some background information about dung beetles.

16. Dung Beetles  Size: From 0.08” to 2.5”.  Colors: black, metallic blue, metallic green, metallic copper  Scavengers

17. Classification  Kingdom: Animal  Phylum: Arthropoda  Class: Insecta  Order: Coleoptera (beetles)  Family :Scarabaeidae (scarabs)

18. Pooper Scoopers  What do dung beetles do?  They eat dung!  They live around dung!  They lay their eggs in dung!  They roll dung!  All they want is to have some DUNG!

19. Plusiotis chrysopedila, metallic leaf chafer, Panama Plusiotis chrysargyrea, metallic leaf chafer, Costa Rica

20.  The beetle molds the dung into a ball and then, using its hind legs to push while its forelegs are braced against the ground, rolls the dung away and buries it. Throughout the summer the beetle will continue to mold, roll, bury and eat its food source.

21. B Ball Rollers Ball Rollers

23. Importance in the environment  Reduce the amount of dung  Reduce the smell of dung  Reduce the amount of insects that breed in dung  Help recycle soil nutrients

26.  Draw the chart in your spiral. Year# of beetles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Write down your playing card # and suit

27.  Each group will receive a bag of dung beetle cards.  Spread out the dung beetle cards face down.  Turn over some of the cards as instructed.  This represents your beginning population for year one.  Listen for what happens to your population during the year.

28.  Turn cards face up or down to represent the number in your beetle population.  At the end of each year write in your chart the current population number.  Keep careful notes. At the end of year seven you will be graphing the results and answering follow-up questions.