Population Ecology

Objectives

By the time we are done with the unit you should be able to ...

  1. Identify the factors that affect population size.

  2. Differentiate between density-dependant and density-independent factors and how they affect carrying capacity.

  3. Explain different aspects of human population growth.

  4. Apply terminology to the levels of ecological study.

  5. Interpret and explain both food chains and food webs.

  6. Evaluate the efficiency of energy transfer among organisms in an ecosystem.

  7. Interpret and analyze charts and graphs.

  8. Analyze a scientific study. Make a claim about that analysis and support it with evidence and reasoning.

Lectures

Population Ecology

Populations

Human Population Growth


Communities

Community Ecology

Ecosystems

Activities

Activity #24

Survey Methods

Activity #25

Niche Partitioning

Activity #26

Keystone Species

Activity #27

Predator/Prey

Research Lab #4 Animal BEHAVIOR

Choice Chambers

In this lab students will provide a model organism with a choice between two environmental factors. Students will then evaluate the movement of the organism to see if a choice was being made or if the movement of the organism was random.

Model Organisms

Explanation for how and why animals move.

Statistical Analysis

Explanation of how to run a Chi-squared test.