Student Name: Peter Sheinis
Biology 2 - UNIT 6: Lab #10 and #11 Worksheet - Lab Write-Up
Complete a write-up for both labs. All parts of the Lab Write up need to be completed to earn a grade for the lab.
Be sure to use complete sentences.
For Lab #10:
Scientists doing research in different areas of ecology may study organisms at different levels. Use the activity below
about a model population of African lions to complete a lab write-up as if you were studying this population.
BioInteractive: African Lions: Modeling Populations
Lab Title Lab #10: Modeling Populations
Problem: How does the population of African lions change over time, and what
What is the problem you are trying environmental factors affect its growth?
to answer?
Hypothesis If the lion population follows logistic growth, then the population will initially grow
Write this in an if… then format. rapidly and later level off as it reaches its carrying capacity due to limiting factors
such as food, disease, and territory.
Method: I completed the BioInteractive activity "African Lions: Modeling Populations" on
Summarize your method. the Concord Consortium SmartGraphs platform. I explored different types of
population growth models (linear, exponential, logistic) and applied them to a
simulated African lion population. I predicted what the lion population would look
like under various conditions, such as before and after a disease outbreak. I also
analyzed how bacterial populations grow to compare with lion growth, and I
estimated the lion population’s carrying capacity based on historical data from
1960 to 2012.
Results: Screenshot of the graph of your predictions of the lion population after 1963.
What data did you collect? Include
the Graphs from the website.
Screenshot of the graph of your prediction of the Bacterial Growth.
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Screenshot of the graph of your prediction of the lion population from 1980-2012.
Screenshot of the graph of your predicted carrying capacity on this second graph.
Additional Information:
Lion Population After 1963 (Prediction)
The lion population began increasing steadily and then leveled off around the 1980s. This
resembles a logistic curve.
(Predicted lion population leveled around 60 lions.)
Bacterial Growth Graph
The bacterial population showed exponential growth, doubling rapidly over a short period.
(This contrasts with lion population which grew slower and leveled off.)
Lion Population from 1980–2012
The real lion population fluctuated due to environmental pressures, disease, and possibly
food shortages, but overall stayed within a narrow range.
(Data shows values around 55–75 lions.)
Carrying Capacity Prediction (Post-Disease)
I estimated the carrying capacity was around 60 lions before the disease outbreak and
dropped slightly afterwards due to changes in health and mortality rates.
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Discussion/Analysis:
Respond to all the discussion Discussion / Analysis:
questions in the assignment.
1. What do you predict will happen to the lion population after 1963?
Explain.
I predicted the lion population would initially grow as food and
space were available, but over time, limiting factors would slow the
growth. The population would reach a point where the environment
could no longer support more lions, resulting in the population
leveling off—this is known as reaching the carrying capacity.
2. How did your graph of bacterial growth compare to the actual lion
growth?
My graph for bacteria showed rapid exponential growth, meaning it
doubled quickly and did not level off within the time period. Bacteria
reproduce quickly, which leads to very steep population curves. In
contrast, lions reproduce slowly and have fewer offspring, so the
population grows gradually and follows a logistic pattern, eventually
stabilizing.
3. Do you think the lion population will continue growing at the rate
it did from 1963–1975? Why or why not?
No, I do not think the population will continue to grow at that same
rate. From 1963–1975, the population increased rapidly because of
favorable conditions, but over time those resources would become
limited. The lions would face competition for food, territory
disputes, and disease, which would slow the growth and eventually
stabilize the population.
4. What are three limiting factors that might affect the lion
population in the crater?
● Availability of prey (food source)
● Disease outbreaks (such as canine distemper virus)
● Competition for territory and dominance within the pride
5. Define density-dependent and density-independent factors. Give
an example of each.
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● Density-dependent factors are those whose effects increase with
population density. Example: competition for food or disease
transmission.
● Density-independent factors are those that affect a population
regardless of its size. Example: natural disasters like drought or
wildfires.
6. What is carrying capacity?
Carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a
particular species that an environment can support sustainably over
time without degrading the habitat.
7. What was the carrying capacity for lions before the disease
outbreak?
Based on the graph, the estimated carrying capacity before the
disease outbreak was about 60–65 lions.
8. Compare your predicted carrying capacity after the disease
outbreak to the real data. What do you notice?
I predicted that the carrying capacity might drop slightly due to
disease effects. The real data confirmed a slight decline in
population after the outbreak, with recovery over time. This shows
that disease can temporarily reduce the carrying capacity, but it may
rebound as conditions improve.
9. Do you think humans will reach carrying capacity on Earth? What
might be limiting factors? What happens if we do?
Yes, it is likely that humans will eventually reach Earth's carrying
capacity if we continue to grow unchecked. Limiting factors could
include food scarcity, clean water shortages, climate change, disease,
and space. If we exceed the carrying capacity, we could face high
mortality, increased conflict over resources, and a decline in quality
of life.
10.Answer to initial problem/question:
The lion population changes over time in a pattern consistent with
logistic growth. It increases quickly under favorable conditions but
levels off as limiting factors such as food, disease, and territory
availability come into play.
1.
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Conclusion:
Respond to all the conclusion
questions in the assignment. Conclusion:
1. What is the answer to the problem question?
The lion population grows logistically, increasing rapidly at first and
leveling off as it reaches the environment’s carrying capacity.
2. Was your hypothesis correct? Were there sources of error?
Yes, the hypothesis was correct. The lion population exhibited logistic
growth. Possible sources of error include inaccuracies in my predictions,
data input errors, or unaccounted variables in the simulation.
3. What could be done differently next time?
I would try modeling a different species to compare population trends or
use real-world data from multiple years to see how external variables like
poaching or climate changes affect population.
4. What did you learn?
I learned that populations grow in predictable ways based on
environmental conditions. I also learned how limiting factors and carrying
capacity shape the growth of animal populations over time.
5. What questions do you have?
● How do conservationists estimate carrying capacity in the wild?
● How do lions in national parks compare to those in more open
ecosystems?
● Can human intervention (like vaccination or artificial feeding) alter a
population’s natural growth curve?
1.
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Lab #11: Exploring Trophic Cascades
This is a virtual lab. Follow the instructions below to get started.
1. Go to BioInteractive: Exploring Trophic Cascades.
2. Choose "Launch Interactive."
3. Answer the questions below and submit your answers.
Introduction:
1. In the example trophic pyramid, which organisms are the producers?
The producers are kelp or algae, which make energy from sunlight through photosynthesis.
2. In the example trophic pyramid, which organisms are the primary consumers?
Primary consumers are sea urchins that eat the kelp.
3. In the example trophic pyramid, which organisms are the secondary consumers?
Secondary consumers are sea otters, which eat the sea urchins.
4. In the video, what effect does the removal of otters have on the ecosystem?
When otters are removed, the sea urchin population grows out of control, which leads to overgrazing
of kelp forests. This causes the kelp forest ecosystem to collapse.
5. What is a trophic cascade?
A trophic cascade is an ecological process where changes in the population of one species (especially
top predators) cause major effects on lower levels of the food chain and the overall structure of the
ecosystem.
Kelp Example:
1. What does a minus sign indicate?
A minus sign indicates a negative effect. For example, otters reduce the number of urchins.
2. What effect do sea otters have on urchins?
Sea otters eat sea urchins, reducing their population.
3. What effect do urchins have on kelp forests?
Sea urchins eat kelp, so they reduce the size and health of kelp forests.
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4. What effect do sea otters have on kelp forests?
Sea otters help kelp forests thrive by controlling the sea urchin population.
5. Explain one of the examples of how otters affect other organisms.
By eating urchins, otters indirectly help fish species that depend on kelp forests for shel
Case Studies:
Case Studies:
Arctic Tundra
● Producers: Mosses, lichens
● Primary Consumers: Caribou
● Secondary Consumers: Wolves
● Wolves reduce caribou numbers, allowing plant life to recover.
Midwestern Lake
● Producers: Algae
● Primary Consumers: Zooplankton
● Secondary Consumers: Small fish
● Tertiary Consumers: Larger fish
● Removing larger fish increases small fish, which eat more zooplankton, causing algae to overgrow due
to fewer grazers.
African Savanna
● Producers: Grass
● Primary Consumers: Zebras and antelopes
● Secondary Consumers: Lions
● Lions keep herbivore populations in check, helping maintain grasslands and preventing overgrazing.
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Venezuelan Jungle
● Producers: Trees
● Primary Consumers: Insects and rodents
● Secondary Consumers: Predators like jaguars
● Loss of top predators leads to more herbivores, which leads to deforestation and collapse of forest
health.
1.
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