Rio Salado College Turtle Population Questions Based on A Plot Lab Questions

Laboratory Exercise Questions

~~1. Answer the following turtle population questions based on the plot below which represents an entire beach where each dot represents one turtle:

a. Using random sampling technique, select 3 grid segments for a sample taken from the plot above. List the 3 grid segments you selected and the count for each one. (1 point)

b. Based on your samples, what is the average number of turtles per sampled grid segment? (1 point)

c. Calculate the estimated turtle population on the entire beach based on your sample. Show your work. (1 point)

d. Now manually count the total number of turtles on the entire beach. List that total. From this actual count, what is the actual average number of turtles per grid segment? Show your work. (1 point)

~~2. Briefly explain why biologists use sampling, rather than individually counting all members of the population of interest. (5 points)

~~3.

a. When using the random sampling estimation technique, which type of dispersion is most effectively estimated? In other words, which population distribution pattern will yield the most accurate population size estimate when the random sampling procedure is followed? (2 points)

b. Briefly explain why this would be the case. (4 points)

~~4. A forest that measures 5 km by 5 km was divided into 25 equal segments, as seen below. Five segments were randomly chosen and sampled to count the number of silver maple trees in each of those sections. The number of trees counted in each of the sampled segments is shown below. Determine how many silver maple trees are in this entire forest by using the random sampling technique. Show your work. (5 points)

~~5. Refer to the diagram below of two plots that are 10 m x 10 m samples from two different 1000 square meter fields (Field 1 and Field 2) to answer the following questions:

a. Which field has the higher population density of weeds? (1 point)

b. Each plot is one 10 m x 10 m sample from two different fields, and each full field covers a total of 1000 square meters. How many weeds are estimated to be present in each 1000 m² field? Explain how you were able to determine your results. (4 points)

~~6. What are five specific examples of limiting factors that could control the population density of a weed population? (5 points)

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

~~7. A 5 km x 5 km plot has a weed count of 250 weeds. What would the population density be? What would the population density be for the exact same plot six months later with a count of 100 weeds? Show your work. (5 points)

~~8. A Conservation Biologist with the Arizona Game & Fish Department has been tasked with estimating the population size of elk in the Kaibab National Forest. Given the information presented in Lab 12, what method might she use to determine approximately how many elk are present? What might be a possible disadvantage to using this method to estimate animal population sizes? (5 points)

~~9. From the yeast count activity, predict approximately what the population count for yeast would be at 200 hours. Provide an explanation for the population count prediction (e.g. How did you arrive at this prediction?). (5 points)

~~10. What is the name of the type of growth the yeast exhibited in the provided Lab 12 yeast population data (Procedure Part C)? (5 points)

~~11.

a. Is yeast an r-selected or K-selected species? (1 point)

b. Based on the type of selection for yeast, list four traits they exhibit. (4 points)

~~12. List three specific limiting factors that likely influenced the population growth of the yeast in the container. For each limiting factor, also list if it is a density-dependent or density-independent limiting factor. (6 points)

a.

b.

c.

~~13. Imagine that on day three, half of the yeast population was removed from the container and placed in a second container. An additional 2 grams of sugar were added to each container. Describe what the expected growth rate would be for each container. (4 points)

~~14. Describe the general relationship between population growth and resource availability? (5 points)

~~15. Give two examples of density-independent limiting factors. (4 points)

a.

b.

~~16. As of this year alone, there have been 201 births and 148 deaths in a population of 1000 giraffes. The number of giraffes who have joined this population are 28 individuals and the number who have left total 39 individuals. What is the growth rate (as a percentage) of this giraffe population? Show your work. (6 points)

Application Question

~~ 17. How might the information gained from this lab pertaining to Population Ecology be useful to you, or how can you apply this knowledge to your everyday life as a non-scientist? The application will be graded according to the rubric below. (20 points)