Guide to Understanding Population Ecology
To receive credit for this assignment, you must complete a minimum of 70 points worth of activities after you
have watched the 2 short presentations on Population Ecology found at Ecology Crash Course, video #2 and
#3 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8dPuuaLjXtNdTKZkV_GiIYXpV9w4WxbX . You should not begin
the work on these activities until you have watched the videos. You must choose at least one activity from
each column. You may earn up to a maximum of 100 points. All work must be original – no copying /
plagiarism. The assignments you select for this guide to understanding are due at the start of class on
4/15/15.
10 points:
Level 1
Activity 1
Complete the guided reading
for sections 53.1 to 53.6.
Worksheets can be found in
the Population Ecology folder.
20 points:
Level 2
Activity 2
Regulation of Predator-Prey
Population Dynamics.
Describe the specific role of
the regulator and discuss how
the process will be altered if
the regulation is disrupted.
See the Population Ecology
folder for the prompt.
30 points:
Level 3
Activity 3
Evaluate “The Return of Canis lupis,” a
case study of the gray wolf packs of
Yellowstone National Park. Prepare
answers to questions concerning this very
real example of disruption to the predator
prey cycle. With this activity you could
decide to work alone – complete parts I, II,
and III – OR – with a partner – complete all
four parts. Case information can be found
in the Population Ecology folder.
Activity 4
Complete exercise 2
(Survivorship Curves), exercise
4 (biotic vs. abiotic factors)
and exercise 5 (life history
strategies). Exercises can be
found in the Population
Ecology folder.
Activity 5
Calculate answers to the
Population Growth Rate
problems. Problems can be
found in the Population
Ecology folder.
Activity 6
Compose an answer to a free response
question on the topic of Population
Growth. See the Population Ecology folder
for the prompt.
Activity 7
Describe the life history
strategies of r-selection and kselection. Give an example of
organisms that use each
strategy and in a brief
paragraph, explain the modes
of nutrition, reproduction,
and environmental role.
(There is no handout for this
activity.)
Activity 8
Interpret information from
two populations, provide
explanations to the
corresponding questions. See
the Population Ecology folder
for the questions.
Activity 9
Compose an answer to a free response
question on the topic Population Growth
Rate. See the Population Ecology folder
for the prompt.