Modeling a population of unlimited resources

Population Growth 29. Complete the following activity on population growth. Imagine a population of rabbits has just been introduced to Australia for the first time. By the time you arrive on the scene to study the phenomenon in 1860, you survey the population and notice that there are ten rabbits. Because this population size is so tiny compared to the amount of potential rabbit habitat on the continent, the environment, at least for now, is virtually unlimited. Which growth graph is only for modeling a population of unlimited resources (exponential or logistic)? Exponential 30. Write the equation for this type of growth. AN/A – IN 31. In this equation, AN/At refers to the change in Abundance over time” 32. “Y” stands for the “intrinsic rate of increase Suppose the population is growing at an annual rate of 0.3 per year. What would the population size be the following year, in 1861?_28 rabbits. 70.3 ON N=10 2rN at 0.3(10) = 36 10 +3 213) loans for the next 12 years and fill in the abundances below (Always round down because a fraction of a rabbit is not a rabbit.) N in 1862 = N in 1863 N in 1864 N in 1865 N in 1866 N in 1867 = Nin 1868 = N in 1869 N in 1870 = N in 1871 N in 1872 – N in 1873 34. On graph paper (or a graphing program), plot the data you just calculated and draw a curve.

Label the graph as either “Exponential” or “Logistic.” 35. Raise your hand to show me your graph. (Onc per group is fine.) 36. Could this kind of growth continue in Australia forever? A population ecologist once estimated that a single pair of Atlantic codfish and their descendants, reproducing without hindrance, would fill up the Atlantic Ocean with their packed bodies in six years! 37. Now let’s try the scenario again, but this time, in 1860, the 10 rabbits are introduced to a tiny grassy island with a K value equal to 50. “K” is called the 38. Which type of growth takes into account that the world is a limited place? (Exponential or logistic?) 39. What is the equation for this type of growth? anat – YN (KAN K 40. Calculate the following, assuming still equals 0.3. N in 1860 = 10 N in 1861 – 12 N in 1862 = 12 41. When you compare these answers to the exponential results above, would you say crowding is already having an impact on these rabbits or is the tiny group of 10 rabbits still too small to be affected by the carrying capacity? Give an example of a resource that might be in short supply for these rabbits.