Population Tagging Lab

Objectives
1. Students will determine the accuracy of the mark & recapture method for determining population size.
2. Students will explain how fundamental concepts affect population ecology.
3. Students will identify & discuss challenges in conserving biodiversity.
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Background
A population is defined as the members of the same species in the same area at the same time. Understanding and
the ability to predict how populations change over time is the work of population ecologists. Their work is important
to identifying determining factors that are affecting specific populations such as invasive competitors, the
availability of resources and habitat alterations. It also plays a vital role in determining if conservation efforts are
successful.

Determining the size of a population or the number of individuals present at a specific time is a difficult task to
accomplish. Some of the factors that increase the difficulty of accurately assessing a population’s size include the
size of the species (ants would be harder to count than deer), the mobility of the species (migratory birds would be
more difficult to assess than wolves) and the habitat of the species (deep waters of the ocean verses a small plot of
land).

One way that scientists try to determine a population’s size when it is impossible to count every individual is to use
the mark and recapture method. Here, scientists mark a portion of the population that they are able to capture. The
individuals are then released back into the wild. Later, another portion of the population is captured and the marked
individuals within that capture are counted. This number of marked creatures should be proportional to the number
of marked in the wild therefore it can be used to estimate the population size.

Question
How effective is population tagging at estimating population size?

Hypothesis
Write your hypothesis here answering the question above. State a percent error.

Materials
-“Pond” Container (bowl, ziplock or paper bag, etc.)
-Full Goldfish bag or the equivalent size sample (colored and regular)
*You will need to determine “caught” versus “not-caught” so you can use anything for this. (Paper pieces and a
marker will work, M&Ms & Skittles, etc.) Any questions, please email your instructor.

Procedure
Place your fish in the pond (container).
Do NOT count the number of fish in your pond yet!
Remove a large handful of fish.
Count the number of fish you just removed. Record number in Results section below.
Replace these fish with marked or “tagged” fish (here: colored “fish”)
Mix your pond well to redistribute the tagged fish among the other fish.
Without looking, remove a handful of fish. Record the number of total fish in the sample and the number of tagged
fish in Table 1 below.
Calculate the percentage of tagged fish using the equation below. Record in Table 1.
Percent Tagged Fish = (# Tagged / Total Sample Size) x 100

Return your handful to the bowl!!

10 Continue with this until you have taken 20 samples.

Results

Initial Number of Fish Removed: __________

Table 1: Population Tagging

# Tagged Fish Total Sample % Tagged in
Trial
in the Sample Size the Sample
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Column
Average

1. The mean average for the percent tagged was ____________.

2. Using the equation below, calculate the estimated population for the pond. _____________

population estimate = Initial Number of Fish Removed X 100

Column Average % Tagged in Sample

3. Count the actual number of fish in the bowl. _____________.

4. Using the equation below, calculate the percent error. ____________.

% error= (Actual Population Size) – (Estimated Population Size) x 100
(Actual Population Size)

Conclusion
1.) Does this appear to be an effective way to estimate the total population in the wild? Explain. (refer to % error)

2.) In the wild, what are some variables that must be taken into consideration to reduce the degree that results are
“off” from the actual population size?

3.)  Could there be a difference in the estimated population number for a species that has a random population
distribution versus a species that has a clumped distribution? Explain.