Name: _________________________________________ Per. _____ Date Due: (M) 09/28/15
Student Directed Learning Activity
Population Density and Distribution Ch. 14.3 (pp. 436 – 439)
Resources: You should use the PowerPoint lecture on http:msbrownnhs.sharepoint.com along with
the textbook.
Part I
Learning Target: Population Density & Distribution
I Can… Explain how population density, dispersion patterns, and survivorship curves, affect the
reproductive strategies of a species.
I Will…
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Calculate the density of a population of organisms in a given area.
Describe the dispersion pattern of organisms in a given area,
o Infer what type of intraspecies and interspecies relationships cause specific patterns of
dispersion.
Describe the three types of survivorship curves.
Infer connections between survivorship curves and reproductive strategies.
1. Define Population density ___________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2. During a beach field work expedition, you find 42 of the shoreline Ribbed Mussel (Geukensia
demissa) in an area of 8 square meters. Calculate the population density for this population. Show all
work and be sure to include labels and units.
3. Define Population dispersion ______________________________________________________________________________
4. Draw a diagram and label the three types of dispersion patterns in the blocks below.
____________________
1
___________________
Page
__________________
5. Complete the following table about population dispersion patterns:
Clumped
Uniform
Random
Characteristics of
species exhibiting this
type of dispersion
pattern
Examples of species
exhibiting this pattern
6. Complete the following table about survivorship curves.
Type I
Type II
Type III
Characteristics
of curve pattern
(birth amount,
life expectancy,
mortality)
Examples of
species that
exhibit this type
of survivorship
curve
Page
2
What curve
looks like
7. Insects display a very characteristic reproductive strategy and survivorship curve. Analyze the
characteristics of each curve type and infer which survivorship curve do insects exhibit. Fully explain
why you came to your conclusion.
8. Refer back to the shoreline Ribbed mussels from question # 2 where you calculated the population
density, does that mean your answer indicates that number of mussels are located in each square meter?
YES / NO. Explain your answer below:
9. What pattern of dispersion do you think the mussels exhibit? _________________________
10. What factors made you conclude that particular pattern?
11. Ribbed mussels are aquatic invertebrates; what survivorship pattern would they most likely
exhibit?
12. Analyze: If an organism has 10 offspring and 2 of these offspring die each year over a five year
period, which type of survivorship curve would be exhibited?
_________________________________
Page
14. Synthesize: Is there any connection between survivorship curves and reproductive strategies?
Fully explain you answer.
3
13. Is the above organism most likely a large mammal or human, bird, or insect?