5 - Modeling Population Growth Remote Lab

STUDENT LABORATORY — Modeling Populations
Full Name: ______________________________________ Lab Date: __________

Lab Section: _______ Lab Instructor: _____________________ Credit: 1 lab period
Objectives
• Distinguish between exponential and logistic growth of populations
• Define carrying capacity
• Differentiate density-dependent and density-independent limiting factors
• Apply population models to data sets and determine carrying capacity from population data
• Make predictions from graphs and interpret graphical data to analyze factors that influence population growth.
Materials
• Paper, pencil, ruler
African Lions: Modeling Populations Virtual Lab Procedure:

1. Go to the virtual lab, “African Lions: Modeling Populations” using the hyperlink below.
https://learn.concord.org/eresources/102.run_resource_html
2. As you go through the virtual lab and submit your responses online, copy and paste any written responses into this
document as there is no way to save and submit the virtual lab and you cannot proceed through the lab without typing
in a response. For each graph, you can draw into the document or take a screenshot of the graph and insert it into the
lab. Note that, once you hit “next” and move onto the next slide, it will not allow you to go back, so make sure you
are ready to move on before proceeding.
3. Slide 1-4: Answer the multiple-choice questions as you go through each slide and check your answer.
4. Slide 5: Type your answer on the website and then below, or select, copy, and paste your answer from the slide.
a. Make a prediction of what will happen to the lion population after 1963. Explain your reasoning.
5. Slide 6: Predict the growth curve for the bacteria over 12 hours. Draw your prediction on the graph below or take a
screen shot and insert it below.
6. Slide 7: Draw the actual curve for the graph above in a different color. How does your predicted curve compare to the
actual curve?
7. Slide 8:
a. What type of curve describes exponential growth? _________________
b. Between what hours are the bacteria growing the fastest? Answer __________
c. Under what conditions does exponential growth occur?
8. Slide 9: Look at the lion population from 1963 to 1975. Do you think this rate of growth will continue to increase?
Why or why not?
9. Slide 10: List three limiting factors that might affect the lion population in the crater.
a.
b.
c.
10. Slide 11:

a. List 4 density-dependent limiting factors
b. List two density-independent limiting factors
c. At what hour on the graph do you think competition for space was low for the bacteria? _____
d. At around what hour does the rate of growth for the population slow down? _____
11. Slide 12: Draw your prediction about the lion population from 1980 to 2012 on the graph or take a screen shot and
insert it below.
12. Slide 13:

a. Define carrying capacity.
b. Using the graph of Bacterial Logistic Growth, estimate the carrying capacity for the number of bacteria in
the petri dish. ________
c. What determines the carrying capacity?
13. Slide 14: Estimate the carrying capacity of the environment prior to the disease outbreak that took place in the early
1960’s by drawing a line.
14. Slide 15: Using what you know about carrying capacity, redraw a new prediction of the lion population after 1963
from your graph in slide 12 or take a screenshot and paste the graph below.
15. Slide 16: Compare your prediction to the real data. What do you notice? If there is a discrepancy, suggest a possible
explanation.
16. Slide 17: answer the multiple-choice question and check your answer
17. Slide 18: Look at the human population graph.

a. Do you think Earth’s population will reach carrying capacity?
b. What might be some limiting factors?
c. What do you think will happen if we do reach carrying capacity?
18. Slide 19: In 1-2 sentences, answer one of the questions.
19. Slide 20: The lab is complete. *Note — A National Geographic subscription is necessary to view the hyperlinked
article :(
*Note — Save this lab for your records.

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STUDENT LABORATORY — Modeling Populations

Full Name: ____________________________ Lab Date:

African Lions: Modeling Populations Virtual Lab Procedure:

c. Under what conditions does exponential growth occur?

10. Slide 11:

b. List two density-independent limiting factors

12. Slide 13:

c. What determines the carrying capacity?

17. Slide 18: Look at the human population graph.

b. What might be some limiting factors?

c. What do you think will happen if we do reach carrying capacity?

18. Slide 19: In 1-2 sentences, answer one of the questions.

*Note — Save this lab for your records.

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