population?_______________________ As the rabbit population increased, what happened to the fox population? ____________________________________________________________________ Define carrying capacity.
Fox and Rabbit Lab: Limits to Population Growth
Objective: This activity will illustrate how a population is dependent on limiting factors. A limiting factor is factor that causes the growth of a population to decrease. In this lab we will be simulating a meadow in which there is a population of rabbits and a population of foxes. The rabbits feed on the grass while the foxes prey on the rabbits. The meadow can only support a maximum of 100 rabbits. This is due to the carrying capacity of the meadow. Carrying capacity is the number of individuals who can be supported in a given area within the natural resources limits.
Materials: Fox and Rabbit cards, table top (the meadow), data table and graph.
Instructions: READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE YOU BEGIN!!
- STEP1:
- Create a meadow. Tape off a 61 cm square section on your table top.
- Start with 3 rabbits in the first generation. Place them in the meadow.
- Start with 1 fox in the first generation.
- Standing 2 feet from the desk, toss the fox into the meadow.
- If the fox touches the rabbit they are considered "captured" and must be removed from the meadow.
- For a fox to survive it must capture 3 rabbits, it not, it dies of starvation and must be removed from the meadow.
- STEP 2:
- Repeat Step 1 going through a maximum of 15 generations.
- STEP 3:
- Create a line graph using the graph paper provided.
- Make sure to label according to the directions.
- Additional Rules:
- For every 3 rabbits that the foxes capture, the fox reproduces 1 pup. This pup is added to the next generation.
- Each fox must be tossed one at a time into the meadow.
- A rabbit cannot be shared by 2 foxes.
- Each time there are no foxes left for the next generation, 1 new fox immigrates into the meadow.
- To calculate the next generation of foxes: (number to old foxes + pups = new generation). If no foxes left see letter d above.
- To calculate the next generation of rabbits: (multiple remaining rabbits by 2).
The meadow can only support a MAX of 100 rabbits, any beyond that will starve. - If all the rabbits are captured then 3 new ones will immigrate into the meadow.
RABBITS
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A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
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Generation |
Start (must be< than 100) |
Captured |
Remaining (B-C) |
Total for next generation (D x2) |
Starved = #>than 100 |
Next generation (E-F) |
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1 |
6 |
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2 |
18 |
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3 |
54 |
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4 |
162 |
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5 |
480 |
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6 |
1428 |
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7 |
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8 |
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9 |
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10 |
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11 |
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12 |
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13 |
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14 |
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15 |
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FOXES
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H |
I |
J |
K |
L |
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Start |
Starved (If eat <2 rabbits) |
Alive (H-I) |
New Pups Born |
Next Generation or Immigration (old + new pups) |
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1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 |
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5 |
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6 |
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7 |
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8 |
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9 |
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10 |
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11 |
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12 |
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13 |
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14 |
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15 |
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Graph your results- use the number at the START of each generation for box FOXES and RABBITS. USE A LINE GRAPH.
- Label the y-axis: number of animals
- Label the x-axis: generations
- Use one color line for rabbits and one color for foxes and include a key
- Put a TITLE on your graph
Lab Analysis
- In this activity, which animal is the predator?____________________________
- In this activity, which animal is the prey?_______________________________
- Which animal population increased first?_______________________________
- What is a limiting factor (define)?_____________________________________
- What was the limiting factor for the fox population?_________________________
- What was the limiting factor for the rabbit population?_______________________
- As the rabbit population increased, what happened to the fox population?
____________________________________________________________________ - Define carrying capacity.
______________________________________________________________________
What is the carrying capacity for rabbits in the meadow?
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