After you are done graphing your data, answer the questions off of your graph
1. According to your graph, which population increased first?
2. In which generation did your weasel population peak?
3. In which generation did your mouse population peak?
4. Explain why the weasel population peak AFTER the mouse population
5. A Carrying Capacity is the population number that can survive generation after
generation, it is NOT the absolute maximum population number. 87 people
managed to climb in or on a VW Bug BUT this is not the carrying capacity of the
car. What would be the carrying capacity of the ‘Bug’?
What is the Carrying Capacity of a VW Bug?
What is the Carrying Capacity of a VW Bug?
6. According to your graph, what is the carrying capacity of your mouse population?
7. According to your graph, what is the carrying capacity of the weasel population?
For the next 3 questions, Mark DD if the population is being affected by a Density
Dependent Limiting Factor and mark DI if it is a Density Independent Limiting
Factor that is affecting the population.
8. __________ A very cold winter has killed off the majority of the weasels
9. __________ A very wet spring has increased the population of meadow grasses
which in turn has supplied more food for the mice; their population is very high
10. __________ The mouse population peaked in the summer months and now is on the
decline because there is not enough food or space for the current population numbers
11. Which population, the weasel or the mouse, most likely lives in a clumped
population pattern?
12. On your graph, with a green marker, circle the part of your graph that is a J-Curve
(remember that J curves do NOT have limiting resources affecting them)
13. On your graph, with a blue marker, circle the part of your graph that is an S-Curve
(remember that S curves are affected by limiting resources)
Conclusion: Write you conclusion paragraph here, use complete sentences. Remember
to use your data to determine if your hypothesis was correct or incorrect
Bio Honors
Ms. Drije
Name ________________
PREDATOR PREY LAB
or
A HUNTIN’ WE WILL GO LAB
Period ________________
Background Information: A new meadow develops in a forest as a result of a fire.
Mice migrate into the meadow and begin to reproduce. As the mouse population
increases, a weasel is also attracted into the meadow. In the following lab the meadow
(habitat) is represented by a plastic petri dish, the mouse population (prey) by red and
white extrusions and the weasel (predator) by a plastic spoon
Instructions: As a class, we will complete the first few generations together so that you
may practice the rules of the game or lab, then you and your lab partner will finish the
lab, answer the questions and write your summary paragraph
Summary Paragraph
Use the following terms in your paragraph and underline the terms
Birth rate (BR)
Carrying capacity
Death rate (DR)
Ecosystem
Limiting resources
Predator
Prey