Name _______________________________________ Per _____
Habitat Loss Online Simulation
Go to the pickup work folder or to my website and open the link for Habitat Loss Simulation.
HINT FOR SPEED: Set “Grid Detail” to freeze to make each simulation run faster. Use each of the following sets of
parameters to run the simulation. Then record your final data in the data table below the parameter settings:
Parameter Settings:
Run number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Loss Factor
0.4
0.0
0.6
0.8
0.4
0.0
0.0
0.4
Loss Time
10
10
10
10
4000
10
10
10
Variation
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.9
0.5
0.5
Time Limit
5000
5000
5000
5000
5000
5000
5000
5000
Data Table: Results for Different Trials
Run number
Final
number
males
Final
number
females
Final total Est. Max (will be range in
population some cases; look at graph)
Time of extinction (if
applicable)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Other observations (include when populations of males and females fluctuate, any peaks or crashes that you notice that
might not be shown by the numbers recorded)
Discussion Questions:
1.
Which runs can you compare to determine what the impact of the loss time is? Using your data, what was the
result of this comparison?
2. Which runs can you compare to determine what the impact of variation is? Using your data, what was the result
of this comparison?
3.
Which of the following would be likely to increase the animal population (at least in the simulation) without
increasing the total amount of habitat?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Leave corridors of habitat so that animal populations do not become isolated
Kill some of the animals so there is more food for the others
Increase the total habitat
Decrease the habitat more slowly
Move all the food to specific locations
4. Which parameter change in the case Loss Time = 10, Time Limit = 5000, Variation = 0 and Loss Factor = 0.4 (run
1) would make the least difference to the final animal population in the simulation? (Try them if you aren’t sure)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Changing the loss time to 100
Changing the total time to 5500
Changing the variation to 0.3
Changing the loss factor to 0.5
Changing the loss factor to 0.35
5. If all the uninhabitable areas were combined in one rectangular block (of the same total area) instead of in linear
strips, how would the animal population be affected? Consider the case where about 50% of the habitat is lost.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
The animal population would be higher.
The population would be the same in both cases.
The animal population would be lower.
The animal population would be unaffected by habitat loss.
The animals would become extinct.
6. What is the lowest level of habitat loss at which the animals in the simulation would probably die out?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
7. If the simulation is run more than once with the parameters Loss Time = 10, Time Limit = 5000, Variation = 0 and
Loss Factor = 0.4 what do you expect is the main reason for the final population being different?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
The Initial ratio of males and females is slightly different each time.
The amount of uninhabitable area is different each time
The way the region is divided into habitable islands is different in each case.
The random locations of food in each case determine whether animals starve
The final population is not different.
8. Compare the two cases with Loss Time = 10, Time limit = 5000, and Loss Factor is 0.4. One of these has Variation
= 0.0 and the other has Variation = 0.4. Which best describes the comparison? (try it to be sure)
a. When variation = 0.4 the population is greater
b. The variation causes the population to oscillate around the average level of the population in the case
without variation.
c. When variation = 0.4, the population decreases by about 40%.
d. When variation = 0.4, the animals become extinct.
e. None of the above.
9. Which best describes the result in the case with Loss Time = 10, Variation = 0.5, and Loss factor = 0.0 as the food
supply (as shown in the estimated maximum) begins decreasing from its maximum?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
The animal population begins to decrease before the food supply peaks.
The animal population begins to decrease after the food supply peaks.
The animal population remains constant even though the food supply varies.
The animals die out.
The animal population decreases throughout the remainder of the run.
10. If the density of the animal population becomes too low, even if there is a large enough habitat, the animals may
become extinct. Why might this happen (consider the run with Variation = 0.9)?
11. What other factors besides habitat loss can lead to extinction of a species?