04.

03 Ecosystems
Population Dynamics Lab Report
As you complete each slide of the Population Dynamics Virtual Lab Activity, please fill in this lab
report with the appropriate information and data.

Purpose:
List the purpose for the lab here. The purpose of this lab is to determine the population size of two
marine species. We also have to explain some things like describing how biotic and antibiotic
factors influence marine populations.
Research:
List the variable descriptions for the lab here. For the research you must know things like. Predator
growth rate,prey growth rate, predator death rate, and the intal size of prey.
Hypotheses:
List your predictions for the lab here. My prediction would be that if the starting population of the
prey is higher than the predators or so called the seals will be higher than the whales capacity due to
the fact that they will populate more from the overgrowth of prey.

Materials:
1. The Population Dynamics Virtual Lab Activity
2. Population Dynamics Lab Report
Procedures:
The procedures are listed in Population Dynamics Virtual Lab Activity. You do not need to include
them here.

Data and Observations

Table 1: Predation and Carrying Capacity

Starting Seal Starting Whale Highest Seal Highest Whale

population population Population Population

Trial 1 25 25 50 55
Trial 2 100 25 165 190

Trial 3 25 200 160 179

Table 2: Growth Rate and Capture Efficiency

Seal Whale Highest Seal Highest Whale

birth rate birth rate Population Population

Trial 1 0.05 0.005 50 55

Trial 2 0.09 0.005 55 74

Table 3: Death Rate and Capture Efficiency

Whale death Whale capture Highest Seal Highest Whale

rate efficiency Population Population

Trial 1 0.05 0.005 50 55

Trial 2 0.09 0.005 70 56

Analysis and Conclusion:

Be sure to answer the following reflection questions in the conclusion of your lab report:
1. Using Table 1, which of the three trials produced the highest population for both the whales
and the seals? Why do you think this trial had the best outcome for the whale and seal
populations?
2. Using Table 2 and 3, explain how the birth rates of the seals and the death rates of the
whales affected the population for both whales and seals.
3. Climate change (an abiotic factor) has slowly decreased habitat for the arctic seals. Predict
how a reduction in habitat could change the capture efficiency of the killer whales. How
would this affect the carrying capacities for both the whales and the seals?
4. If another source of prey were available to the whales, what changes in population size
would you expect for the seals and the whales?
5. In this lesson, you learned about two patterns of population growth and decline, the sigmoid
and peak phenomena. Does the seal and killer whale relationship represent a sigmoid or
peak phenomenon? Please provide supporting details.
6. What are the limitations of the population dynamics lab? Is the lab activity a realistic
representation of an arctic marine ecosystem? Note: Please provide detailed support for your
opinion.
Conclusion: my prediction was right in a way. The seals had a higher growth rate than
whales. the second table produced a high population rate but not just for seals whales as
well. Well you see it affects the population of both whales and seals because they both need
each other. What I mean by that is that if the whales overpopulate the sea then they will
eventually die because they will eat all the seals. If the seals over populate then eventually
what they eat will be extinct and then they will be extinct and so on. So they both benefit off
of each other but at a certain population rate. Well it would benefit whales because it would
be easier to kill seals since the habitat around them is much smaller. But this would also lead
to a bad ending for the whales. Because if this happens then the whales will eventually die
off due to the lack of food they have. So therefore a smaller habitat equals more seals that
will eventually die due to much consumption from the whales. Which will then leave the
whales with less food. Well if there was another source of prey both the whales and seals
could benefit off of it since they both eat meat. This would also mean not a whole lot of seals
would be killed since there is a new type of prey. The seal and killer whale represents a
sigmoid relationship. This is because it shows how the seal and the whales population will
grow quickly if there is food within the habitat. If this wasn't the case this relationship would
be a peak phenomenon relationship. Well yes there are some limitations such as how many
verbals you can use. But for me this lab was really fun to do. Also in my opinion it does not
represent a real life representation for the pure fact that these are things that could possibly
happen not things that are going on at this moment. But this lab did do a great job of
explaining how this could happen how seals could overpopulate or even whales. But overall I
had fun with this lab and I hope you liked reading my conclusion.