01 Oct Determining Population Growth
Ecologists analyze population sizes to help them understand how selective pressures such as predation, environment, life histories, and demographics affect its growth. In this assignment, demonstrate your understanding of population data by completing a problem set.
Instructions
Your task is to complete the questions in the problem set. Read each question carefully and identify your given values. Show the formulas and calculations used to solve each problem.
Questions
In one year, biologists tracking a bear population counted 33 new bear cubs in a population of 546 bears.
1. Calculate the birth rate (b) of this population.
2. In the same year, the biologists counted 28 black bear deaths. Calculate the death rate for this population.
3. What is the per capita rate of increase for this black bear population?
4. What would you estimate the change in black bear population size would be for the following year? Adjust the N to reflect the new births and deaths. Round your answer to the “nearest bear,” and answer the question – is this population increasing or decreasing in size?
5. Determine the number of births and deaths you would expect the following year. Round to the “nearest bear”.
