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Population Ecology Graph Worksheet
Name:
Date:
Block:
Directions: Look at the graphs below and answer the following questions. If you have a lap top, click on the red
line and type in your answer.
Graphs 1- Exponential Growth & Carrying Capacity
Curve 1
Curve 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Which of the two curves exhibits exponential growth?
Which of the two curves exhibits a carrying capacity?
What is a carrying capacity of a population?
What is the carrying capacity of this graph?
In what generation does this population reach its carrying capacity?
What is the difference between a carrying capacity graph & an exponential growth curve?
Graph 2
1. For what type of organism is the
carrying capacity shown?
2. In what year did this population
first reach carrying capacity?
3. Give one reason why the population decreased in
1990 after it had reached its carrying capacity. (hint: climate)
4. Give one hypothesis to explain why the population
exceeded its carrying capacity in 1992. (hint: climate)
4. Why did the population decrease in 1994 after
it exceeded the carrying capacity?
Graph 3- Survivor Graphs
Graph 3 shows 4 different growth curves- A, B, C & D.
Curve A shows a white woman’s life expectancy in
the USA.
Curve B shows an Indian woman’s life expectancy in
India.
Curve C shows fish’s life which has an
equal chance of dying at any age.
Curve D shows an oyster’s life in which there
are many young but few survive to adulthood.
1. Who has a better chance of surviving
infancy- Indian or American women?
2. At what age are most oysters dead?
3. Who has a longer life expectancy- Indian
or American women?
4. At what age are most fish dead?
5. Look at Curve A. Notice that it levels off between the ages of 20-40. What does this mean?
6. Which has a longer life expectancy- fish or oysters?
Graph 4- Competition Curve
Graph 4 shows the growth of 2 species
of bacteria grown on the same petri dish.
It also shows their growth rate when
grown separately.
1. Which of the 2 types of
bacteria will soon die?
Why?
2. Which of the 2 bacteria strains is
better adapted for competition?
3. How is the growth rate for P. caudatum different when it is grown alone?
4. What happens to the growth rate of P. aurelia around day 12?
Graph 5
1. What type of graph is shown to the left?
2. Which organism is the predator?
The prey?
`
3. Which year had the highest number of hares?
4. Which year had an equal number of hare & lynx?
5. What is the relationship between the hare & lynx growth?
6. How many lynx were present in 1905?
Graph 6- Predator & Prey Curve
1. What happened to the number of predators after the prey population fell on 8/9?
2. What could have caused the increase in prey in 9/15?
3. What would occur if there were more predators then prey?
4. Are predator-prey relationships density-dependent or density-independent limiting factors?
Graph 7
The graph below shows 2 different populations of reindeer on 2 different islands- they have had NO interaction with
each other.
1. What type of graph is shown above?
2. Which reindeer island had a greater growth rate and decrease?
3. How many reindeer were on St. George in 1930?
Graph 8- Boom and Bust
The graph below shows a population of voles (small woodland mammals).
1. Will the vole population increase or decrease in the year 2000?
How do you know?
How is this helpful to population ecologists who study the growth rate of voles?
2. What could have caused the vole population to decrease in 1989?
3. Approximately, how many years does it take for the vole population to go through one cycle (an increase &
decrease)?