Population Dynamics Lab Report

Title: Marine populations

Objectives:
1. Examine the graphs to calculate the population number of two different marine species.
2. Can you describe the effects of predation, birth, and death rates on marine populations.
3. Explain how both biotic and abiotic elements affect marine populations.

Listed Variables:
Prey Initial Size: The starting number of prey. (Assume that the seals have an unlimited amount
of food.) – Controlled (is held constant)

Prey Growth Rate: The birth rate of the prey. The larger the growth rate, the faster the prey
population will increase. – Dependent (is measured)

Predator Initial Size: The starting number of predators. – Controlled (is held constant)

Predator Death Rate: The death rate of the predators. A larger death rate means predators will die
out quicker. – Dependent (is measured)

Capture Efficiency: This number represents the ability of the predator to capture the prey over
some time interval. A larger value for this parameter means that the predators have a better
chance of capturing prey. – Independent (varies during the experiment)

Hypotheses:

Prediction 1: If the starting population of the prey is higher than the predators, the resulting
population of the seals will be higher than population of the whales.

Prediction 2: If the starting population of the predators is higher than the prey, the resulting
population of the whales will be higher than the population of the seals.

Prediction 3: If the prey growth rate increases, the resulting population of the seals will be
higher than the population of the whales. (Both starting populations set to 25.)

Prediction 4: If the death rate of the whales increases, the resulting population of the seals will be
higher than the population of the whales. (Both starting populations set to 25.)

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
Trial Starting Seal Starting Whale Highest Seal Highest Whale
Population Population Population Population
1 25 25 49 53

2 100 25 165 192

3 25 50 72 78

Table 2: Growth Rate and Capture Efficiency

Trial Seal Capture Highest Seal Highest Whale
Birth Rate Efficiency Population Population
1 0.05 0.005 49 53

2 0.08 0.005 55 71

Table 3: Death Rate and Capture Efficiency

Trial Whale Death Capture Highest Seal Highest Whale
Rate Efficiency Population Population
1 0.05 0.005 49 53

2 0.09 0.005 69 57

Conclusion:
Be sure to answer the following reflection questions as a summary in the conclusion of your lab
report:
 Were your hypotheses correct or incorrect? Why or why not?
Only my first prediction was incorrect. It was incorrect because more prey means more
“food sources” for the predators.
  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?
The second trial. An increase in the seal population leads to an “optimal situations” for
both seals and whales, as a larger number of seals results in more food for the whales,
which as a result allows the seals to reproduce more thus both populations can grow
larger.

 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.
When presented with more seal birth rates the seal population increases just by a bit but
the whale population surges.
An amplified whale death rate means only good for the seal population as it can flourish
with noticeably fewer predators. Not surprisingly, a bigger death rate means that there are
a lot less whales present.

Questions:
Using what you have learned from the lesson and the virtual lab activity, answer the following
questions in complete sentences:

1. Describe three additional biotic and abiotic factors not modeled in the simulation that
could affect the population dynamic of the whales and seals.

Migration – Leads to a decline in a specific area.

Weather conditions – For example: Drought can mean there is less food for both species.

Human factor – hunting, commercial fishing, pollution

2. Explain why some limiting factors may lead to drastic changes in whale and seal
populations, while others may only cause minimal changes.

Some limiting factors can have a more direct and immediate effect on population
dynamics, such as predation, disease outbreak, etc. , which can lead to drastic changes in
population size, while other factors such as weather conditions or human activities may
have a more gradual impact.

3. 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.
 The seal and killer whale relationship represents a sigmoid pattern of population growth
and decline, as seen in the slow increase in population size, followed by an exponential
growth phase, and then leveling off or declining.

4. A microbe from an ecosystem that exists in the same arctic region has infected the whale
population. The graph below shows the new carrying capacity for the whale population.

N represents population number, t represents time, and K represents carrying capacity.

Explain how these microbes have affected the whale population. Does this new evidence
change the seal and killer whale relationship? Does this new relationship represent a
sigmoid or peak phenomenon? Please provide supporting details.

These microbes have negatively affected the whale population. For the seals the whales
wouldn’t newly pose a such a threat. Peak phenomenon. Because it reached it’s peak and
than started declining.

5. If scientists added a chemical to destroy the arctic microbes, what positive and negative
consequences could result? What population settings could you adjust in the simulation to
test components of this solution?

A positive consequence could be a decrease in the population of arctic microorganisms,

reducing the competition for resources. However, negative consequences could include
destroying the food chain and the destruction of important ecosystem services provided
by the microbes.
6. Climate change in the form of global warming (an abiotic factor) has slowly decreased
habitat for the arctic seals. What are the limitations of the population dynamics
simulation in predicting the changes that may occur due to climate change?

The limitations are that the simulation does not consider the complex state of the
interactions between climate change and other factors such as ocean acidification and
pollution, and it does not account for the potential cascading effects on the ecosystem.

7. Imagine that all nations agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half in an effort to
reduce global warming. In what ways could you revise this simulation, so it accounted for
the influence of this solution on arctic habitat, and on the whale and seal populations?

We could revise the simulation to include the effects of decreasing atmospheric CO2 on
ice melting and ocean acidification, both affecting the habitat and food sources for seals
and whales and also, consider the effects of reducing global temperature on prey and
predator species populations of both seals and whales.