Ecology Deer Population Checkers Lab
Introduction: The study of ecology involves the investigation of organisms and the
interaction of those organisms in their environment. Natural disasters and man can
largely impact the populations of animals in their habitats, this in turn can cause a
domino effect for other organisms within a habitat. Under certain conditions,
ecosystems can experience overcrowding or extinction of certain organisms within a
particular habitat.
It is essential for scientists to monitor and study specific populations within an
ecosystem in order to maintain balance in supporting the numbers and species in
sections of ecosystems. In Nebraska, the Nebraska Game and Fish Department
monitors deer populations by using a variety of different methods. There are 38 different
hunting units and biologists are responsible for maintaining balance in each of the
units. The following is a list of data that are used to estimate the populations in each
unit:
 comments gathered from landowners and field staff
 the success of harvesting deer through the hunting season
 aerial surveys from the same areas each year (mule deer only)
 deer/vehicle collisions
 responses from hunters
The combination of information gathered through the above methods gives biologists an
estimated deer population. With that information, the Game and Fish Department
biologists are better able to predict what natural and man events have impacted the
deer population. In order to maintain a stable deer population in Nebraska, biologists
need to determine the buck to doe ratio in order to optimize reproduction. For the white
tail deer population, a buck to doe ratio of 35 bucks to 100 (1:3) does and for mule
deer, a buck to doe ratio of 42 bucks to 100 (1:2) does maintains the population of
Nebraska deer.
Environmental conditions can greatly affect the population of any species of organism in
an ecosystem. A few of the environmental concerns for the deer population in Nebraska
are: winter (which is especially detrimental to fawns), localized drought, CWD (nonexistent in Nebraska), and EHD (non-detrimental to humans, deer die within 48-72
hours during the months of August-September). Other environmental factors such as
flooding and prairie fires can also impact the deer populations. Each of these
environmental factors can affect the numbers collected during data collection and must
be considered when wildlife management issues hunting licenses.
Supplies:
-checkerboard
-checkers
-graph paper
- various hunting screens
- dice
Procedure:
1. Create a name for your state park
2. As a group, you will carry out a script of events to monitor and graph the deer
population in your state park for a time period of 5 years
3. There will be 5 events that occur each year in your park that will affect the deer
population
4. Place all checkers on “good land” (red squares)
5. Red checkers are female deer---black checkers are male deer
6. Listen to the teacher instructions for each of the events and follow the directions
7. Record the deer population on the data table after each event occurs for female,
male, and total counts of deer
Time
Female Count Male Count Total Deer Population
Zero
32
YEAR ONE
x
x
x
Wildlife Management
Mating Season
Impact
Hunting Season
Impact
Migration
YEAR TWO
x
Wildlife Management
Mating Season
Impact
Hunting Season
Impact
Migration
x
x
YEAR THREE
x
Wildlife Management
Mating Season
Impact
Hunting Season
Impact
Migration
x
x
YEAR FOUR
x
Wildlife Management
Mating Season
Impact
Hunting Season
Impact
Migration
YEAR FIVE
x
Wildlife Management
Mating Season
Impact
Hunting Season
Impact
Migration
x
x
x
x
Deer Lab Follow-Up:
1. Construct a line graph (electronic then insert, or paper then insert the picture) by
placing the deer population on the y axis and the events across the x axis; use a
different color for each year, so plot 5 lines on the same graph.
2.
Construct a bar graph (electronic then insert, or paper then insert the picture)
showing the total deer population at the END of each year; be sure to include your total
at the beginning.
3.
What trends do you see with each of the 6 fluctuations in your graph? (does the
population increase or decrease with the 6 events each year)…
4.
What year was your deer population the highest? Think about the events of that
year, what factors caused the population to rise that year?
5.
When the carrying capacity is over the limit, what are some things that you could
do as a Wildlife Management biologist to reduce the population back to the carrying
capacity?
6.
Name a couple side-effects of having an overpopulated park.
7.
What year was your deer population the lowest? What factors do you think
caused the population to be lower that year?
8.
How would you increase the deer population in a state park if the population was
under carrying capacity (list a few options)?
9.
Calculate your buck to doe ratio at the end of year 4. Is this a suitable ratio? Why
or why not?