12/23/14

Your homework for break is to complete Assignment 38. See below. Remember that this is in preparation for your populations unit exam on Thursday and Friday of next week.

Assignment 38 Reviewing Population Growth (Holiday Break Homework)

Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability.

________ 1. According to the concept of the “demographic transition,” a population will go through a period of expansion, but later stabilize at:

A.  its original number

B.  at the maximum carrying capacity of the land

C.  at a population larger than before the transition, but with zero growth

D.  a constant rate of growth

E.  a level where deaths caused by famine and disease equal new births

________ 2. Human population growth rate underwent its greatest increase during which period of history?

A. pre-agricultural times                                            D. the Machine Age

B. pre-industrial times                                               E. the late 20^th century

C. the Roman Empire

________ 3. An age-structure diagram has the shape of a pyramid with a wide base. What type of population growth does it indicate?

A. Zero growth                                                            D. Rapid growth

B. Negative growth                                                     E. Unknown growth

C. Slow growth

________ 4. The “demographic transition” refers to:

A.  declining population growth rate following rapid growth

B.  democratic mandates for contraceptives to control human population growth

C.  the maximum human population sustainable by the Earth

D.  the transition from population growth to population decline

E.  overpopulation in less developed countries

________ 5. In developing nations, breastfeeding slows population growth because:

A.  it increases the average number of years between births

B.  it is healthy and decreases infant mortality

C.  it keeps the children from being hungry

D.  it increases the age at which women will bear their first child

E.  it decreases the frequency of sexual activity

________ 6. Human demography suggests that an improving economy in a country correlates with:

A.  decreased birth rate, increased population growth rate

B.  decreased death rate, increased population growth rate

C.  decreased birth rate, decreased population growth rate

D.  increased birth rate, decreased population growth rate

E.  increased birth rate, increased population growth rate

________ 7. How rapidly a population changes depends most upon (select the best answer):

A.  birth rates                                                              D.  maximum lifetime

B.  death rates                                                            E.  life expectancy

C.  growth rates

________ 8. The simplest and least controversial means of slowing population growth is:

A.  abortion                                                                 D.  no sexual activity before marriage

B.  birth control                                                           E.  sterilization

C.  delaying first childbearing

________ 9. Which of the following examples describes the S-shaped curve, exhibiting a population that grows rapidly but eventually reaches a constant population?

A. demographic transition                                          D. sustainability

B. replacement fertility curve                                     E. carrying capacity

C. logistic growth curve

________ 10. What eventually happens to k-strategists after logistic population growth?

A. The population continues to demonstrate linear growth.

B. Numbers in the population plummet due to disease and predation.

C. The population continues to demonstrate exponential growth.

D. Once the carrying capacity is reached, growth drops to zero.

E. The population’s growth passes an inflection point and increases.

________ 11. If China’s crude birth rate is 12 births per 1,000 people and its annual crude death rate is 7 deaths per 1,000 people, then in how many years from now can its population be expected to double?

A. 14 years                                                                  D. 96 years

B. 58 years                                                                  E. 140 years

C. 70 years

12. How does the total fertility rate (TFR) affect the population growth of a nation?

________ 13. A population of river otters has a growth rate of (r) of 0.2 per year.  If the population starts out with 50 individuals and there is no migration, how many would you expect after one year; after two years?

A. 10; 2                                                                        D. 60; 72

B. 52; 54                                                                      E. 70; 90

C. 60; 70         

           

________ 14. Which of the following is true?

A. Under ideal conditions, bacteria and eagle populations both grow exponentially.         

B. Populations of bacteria, which grow much faster than eagles, show exponential growth, whereas populations of eagles do not.

C. Because eagles grow to a larger size than bacteria, they have a J-shaped growth curve.         

D. The growth curve of bacteria is never constrained by K. 

E. Eagles are r-selected species while bacteria are usually K-selected species.

________ 15. The intrinsic growth rate of a population

A. directly affects environmental resistance.           

B. causes changes in birth rates without affecting death rates.       

C. causes changes in death rates without affecting birth rates.       

D. is the maximum rate at which a population may increase.         

E. all of the above

________ 16. A population of rabbits, introduced to an island, has rapid growth for a few years; then its growth slows.  The population becomes stable because

A. the carrying capacity has been reached.               D. r declines.

B. environmental  resistance declines.                      E. Bergman’s Principle takes effect.

C. immigration is reduced.    

           

________ 17. A population growing at 10% would double in

A. 7 years                                                                    D. 17 years

B. 10 years                                                                  E. Not enough information to tell

C. 15 years     

           

________ 18. Population size can be estimated using the formula

A. CBR + Immigration + CDR + Emigration                

B. CBR + Immigration – CDR – Emigration                

C. CBR + Immigration + CDR – Emigration
D. CBR – Immigration – CDR – Emigration
E. CBR – Immigration + CDR – Emigration

________ 19. Ivory Coast and China are two developing nations. China has a much larger per capita ecological footprint than Ivory Coast. This is most likely due to

I. China’s much larger population

II. China’s growing dependence on fossil fuels to drive their economy

III. Ivory Coast’s dependence on small scale and subsistence agriculture

IV. Ivory Coast’s much smaller GDP

A. I and II only                                                             D. I, III, and IV

B. I, II, and III                                                               E. I, II, and IV

C. II and III only          

                       

________ 20. Two populations of the same size have the same fertility rates. Which of the following should hold true?

A. Population ‘A’ should grow more quickly due to more years of possible child birthing. 

B. Population ‘B’ should grow more quickly because older mothers usually have lower infant mortality rates.

C. Populations ‘A’ and ‘B’ should grow at about the same rate.       

D. Population ‘A’ should grow more quickly because younger mothers usually have lower infant mortality rates E. There is not enough information to tell.

________ 21. According to the theory of demographic transition, the highest birth rates and death rates are likely to occur during phase

A. 1.                                                                             D. 4.    

B. 2.                                                                             E. 5.

C. 3.    

________ 22. Iran has a population of 77 million. In 2014, Iran recorded 19 births per 1000 people and 5 deaths/ 1000 people. Its annual rate of population change would be 

A. 0.14%                                                                      D. 7%

B. 0.7%                                                                        E. 14%

C. 1.4%

23. Explain the fact that, even though the U.S. total fertility rate is below replacement level, the total population is still growing.

24. Describe three basic ways by which any population with a positive growth rate can achieve zero population growth.

12/22/14

Tonight's homework is to complete Assignment 37 using the case study about India's rapid population growth. Additionally, tomorrow we will be having an in-class discussion so in preparation, you could/should review your reflections from last week and check out the links from Friday's posting.

Investigating Population Growth in India

Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability in complete sentences.

1. Describe how India’s population’s changed as it has moved through the demographic transition.

2. What are the impacts of this rapid population growth?

3. India has been attempting to slow its population growth since 1952. Which policies/conditions have been most effective at slowing its population growth? What should the Indian government do in order to further slow its population growth? Support your answers.

4. Based on the data in the case study and your knowledge of demographics, make predictions about the population of India in 2040. How large will it be? What would its age-structure diagram look like? Support your reasoning.

12/19/14

This weekend's homework is to write a reflection in response to the following, "What should be done about population growth?" In addition, you should review the Ecology exam in case you want to do corrections on Monday.

Also, here is an interesting article about population growth and an interesting website about population growth data.

12/17/14

Tonight's homework is to finish the task from class which was to choose two of the six regions from the “World Population Highlights” and…

• Describe the changes in age-structure from 1970 to 2014. 
• Which phase of the demographic transition was your region undergoing in 1970? 2014? Support your answers. 
• Predict what your region’s population would look like in another 40 years. 
• Then, repeat these steps on your own for the whole world.

Then you need to continue/finish reading Chapter 4 from Botkin and Keller. There will be a check-in on Friday.

12/16/14

Tonight's homework is to:

1. continue reading all of Chapter 4 in Botkin and Keller (see previous post for a link if necessary).
2. write a one-page reflection answering the following:

• How have human populations changed? (What trends do you observe, especially in the past 50 years?)
• Why have human populations changed? (What trends do you observe, especially in the past 50 years?)
• How do human population changes impact sustainability?

12/15/14

Tonight's homework is to begin reading Chapter 4 in Botkin and Keller. You can take notes but we will be discussing the material in class tomorrow. You can also try the calculations on the front of the notes, but we will be working on them (and others) in class tomorrow.

Resources
Botkin and Keller... online!
The Science of Overpopulation - SciShow
Understanding World Population Projections - Population Research Bureau

12/12/14

This weekend's homework is as follows:

11BD - See Thursday's post (complete Assignment 34B and read/take notes on "Population: 7 Billion" from the January 2011 issue of National Geographic).

If you would like extra credit, then try all of Assignment 35 by starting here... and have fun (ha).

12BD - Complete Assignment 35 and read and take notes on "Population: 7 Billion" from the January 2011 issue of National Geographic. Be sure to check out some of the links to pictures as well. If the above link doesn't work then try this or this.

Think about:
- What concerns are associated with humankind's rapid population growth?
- Is our growth occurring equally everywhere on Earth?
- What, if anything, is being done to deal with population growth?

If you were absent, then try all of Assignment 35 by starting here... and have fun (ha).

Assignment 35: “iPhone Island – Modeling Population Growth” Analysis and Thinking Questions

Answer all of the following questions to best of your ability in complete sentences. Use examples, details, and vocabulary to help support your answers.

Analysis

Use your data table to plot a graph illustrating growth of the population over time. Be sure to give your graph an appropriate title and follow the practices associated with good graphing.

1. What is the ratio of births to deaths in this model population?

2. How many “years” did it take you to reach a population of 100?

3. What inferences and/or connections can you make based on the graph of iPhone Island’s population growth?

4. Using this experiment, define exponential (or geometric) growth.

5. In what way do exponential (or geometric) growth rates differ from arithmetic (linear)

growth rates?

6. Using the data below, create a graph of world population versus time from 1650 to 2013 in

the space below. Use your graph to predict world population for the year 2020 and 2030. (Hint: Use

dotted lines to extend your graph into the future.)

World Population Trends

1650 = 0.5 billion	1940 = 2.3 billion	1980 = 4.4 billion	2000 = 6.1 billion
1750 = 0.7 billion	1950 = 2.5 billion	1985 = 4.8 billion	2003 = 6.3 billion
1850 = 1.1 billion	1960 = 3.0 billion	1990 = 5.3 billion	2008 = 6.7 billion
1900 = 1.6 billion	1970 = 3.6 billion	1995 = 5.5 billion	2013 = 7.1 billion
1930 = 2.1 billion

7. How does the growth experienced on iPhone Island compare to that of human population on Earth?

8. How does this activity connect to our discussions of population biology this week?

12/11/14

Tonight's homework is to complete Assignment 34B. Remember, it is being collected tomorrow (Friday for 11BD). Students in 11BD can also find the homework for Monday below.

Assignment 34B - Capturing School of the Future Analysis and Reflection

Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability. Use details, vocabulary, and examples whenever possible.

1. List potential sources of error that could have affected your estimation of the population.

2. What difficulties did you encounter with this experiment? What additional difficulties might be present in a field study?

3. Was your estimate close to the actual population size? If no, how could the accuracy of the activity be increased?

4. Why would a scientist want to be able to estimate population size of different organisms?

5. TO BE COLLECTED AND SCORED…Discuss or two of the most meaningful errors and the specific impacts it/they may have had on the data and/or how you interpreted it. What changes did/would you make and why? Discuss each change made or potential change and predict how it would specifically change the data.

Reflection Checklist (4 Skill Points)                                              SCORE: _____

Criteria	4 (Mastery)	3 (Proficient)	2 (Approaching)	1 (Needs Revision)
Identifies relevant sources of error.	Clearly identifies and describes at least one relevant source of error that is NOT simply human error during the experiment.	Identifies and describes one relevant source of error that is NOT simply human error OR clearly describes a source of error that is simply human error during the experiment.	Identifies but does not clearly describe the source of error in the experiment.	Identifies but does not attempt to describe the source of error.
Describes how the data is changed by the error.	Specifically and clearly describes how the data collected was altered by the error.	Clearly describes which data was altered by the error but does not clearly describe how it was altered.	Addresses that the source of error changed the data but does not explain its effect clearly.	Does not address how the source of error changed the data.
Proposes changes to procedure to eliminate/minimize sources of error	Clearly defines a logical change to the procedure that should be made AND clearly explains why it should be made.	Clearly defines a logical change to the procedure that should be made and only acknowledges why it should be done.	Defines a change to the procedure but does not explain the reasoning behind it OR proposes an illogical change but explains its rationale.	Does not propose a logical change to the procedure.

11BD Homework for Monday

Read and take notes on "Population: 7 Billion" from the January 2011 issue of National Geographic. Be sure to check out some of the links to pictures as well. If the above link doesn't work then try this or this.

Think about:
- What concerns are associated with humankind's rapid population growth?
- Is our growth occurring equally everywhere on Earth?
- What, if anything, is being done to deal with population growth?

12/10/14

Tonight's homework is the following:

1. prepare for tomorrow's check-in by looking over this week's notes.
2. complete Assignment 34A's practice questions (see below).
3. obtain data based on your plan so that you can estimate SoF's population in class tomorrow.

Practice Data Analysis

1. Suppose that you capture 10 individuals of a rare species of brook trout from an impounded watershed. You place a very small radio activated tag in the body cavity of each individual and then release these fish. You come back a month later and capture 20 fish and find that four of these are individuals that you had previously captured and released. What is your best estimate of the population size, N?

2. Over the period of a month, you trap and tag 8 red foxes, with uniquely colored tags, in the Watchmacallit Forest in New Jersey. You set up motion sensitive remote cameras up at various locations in the forest. A month later, you collect all the cameras and review the images. You record the results and note that the cameras took pictures of 3 tagged red foxes and 5 red foxes without tags. What would be the total population of red foxes in the area?

Remember that you can approximate the size of the population using the following equation:

            N = ( M x C )           N = Estimated size of total population

                        R                  M = Total # of animals captured and marked on 1^st sampling

                                             C = Total # of animals captured on the 2^nd sample

                                             R = # of animals captured on the 1^st sampling that were recaptured on the 2^nd sampling

12/9/14

Tonight's homework is to complete Assignment 33.

Additional data/calculations for Part 2:

• What is the estimated kudzu population?
• Of the total number of plants counted, what fraction was native?
• Of the total number of plants counted, what fraction was invasive?

“Too Many To Count!” Comprehension and Discussion Questions

Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability in your lab notebook. Use details, vocabulary, and examples whenever possible.

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using the quadrat method to measure populations and their growth?

2a. Why might results from Figure 2 not accurately represent the actual populations?

2b. How could this be fixed?

3. Thoroughly analyze the data you collected. This means that you:

- Make a graph. (Which graph or graphs would be the most useful?)

- Draw inferences/conclusions.

- Try to explain what happened to produce the data and connect the activity/data to content from class.

4. What would you expect this area to look like in one year’s time? Support your answer. Use vocabulary and details.

12/8/14

Tonight's homework is to make sure that Assignment 32 is revised and contains vocabulary and concepts from class today and also to read 13.1 in Botkin and Keller.

12/5/14

This weekend's homework is to complete Assignment 32 start investigating and thinking about populations of organisms and the factors that affect them. In order to do so, you need to answer the following questions.

Assignment 32 - Investigating Population Changes

Answer the following questions to the best of your ability in complete sentences. Use details, examples, and vocabulary to support your answers and demonstrate knowledge.

1. What happened to the reindeer population on St. Matthew Island? Why did this occur?

2. How do these events relate to the principles of sustainability that we have discussed previously (nutrient cycling, reliance on solar energy, population control, and biodiversity)?

In order to obtain information about what occurred on St. Matthew Island use the following sources:

St. Matthew Island Reindeer comic

OR

Klein, D.R. 1968. The introduction, increase, and crash of reindeer on St. Matthew Island. J. Wildlife Management 32: 350-367.

Also, here is an interesting broadcast from Freakonomics Radio about how invasive species have been (poorly) dealt with in the past. NOTE: This is optional and just to pursue your own interest.

Want to do something?

So in addition to taking direct action and protesting, etc. (in response to recent events in Ferguson, Cleveland, Staten Island, and many other places) there are other avenues for promoting change. One example is appealing to our elected officials. They are the ones who propose and vote upon legislation, so (in my opinion) it makes sense to bring them into the fold as soon as possible. The End Racial Profiling Act was drafted and introduced to the Senate last year, but has not gained enough attention to garner serious discussion or voting upon it. This can change - here's how.

Want to contact your senator? Go here.

Want to contact your representative? Go here.

Add your info, copy and paste the form letter below, and then change it to your liking. REMEMBER that if you are sending it a representative, then you need to change the greeting too. AND YOU NEED TO FILL IN A SENTENCE IN THE LAST PARAGRAPH.

Sample Letter

Dear Senator Schumer,

In May 2013, Senator Ben Cardin introduced the End Racial Profiling Act to the Senate. As you likely already know, The End Racial Profiling Act comprehensively addresses the insidious practice of racial profiling by law enforcement on five levels: first, it clearly defines the racially discriminatory practice of racial profiling by law enforcement at all levels; second, it creates a federal prohibition against racial profiling; thirdly, it mandates data collection so we can fully assess the true extent of the problem; fourth, it provides funding for the retraining of law enforcement officials on how to discontinue and prevent the use of racial profiling; and fifth, it holds law enforcement agencies that continue to use racial profiling accountable.

I urge you to co-sponsor this bill just as Senator Gillibrand has and then publicly pledge to vote for this legislation when the time comes.

It is abundantly clear that there are major problems with how police departments are currently serving their communities throughout the country. The events in Ferguson, Cleveland, Staten Island and so many other places have demonstrated the dire need for change in how police departments approach keeping communities safe and uphold the law. This legislation can serve as a step in the right direction where all citizens feel as though their rights and well being are being properly protected by law enforcement agencies.

   

As a public school student in New York City, I have... (you fill this in)

The threat of unnecessary harassment and wanton violence is such that we can no longer sit idly. It is time for a new approach and to instill a greater sense of accountability in our law enforcement agencies. Only then can we continue to move forward as a city, state, and nation.

Most Sincerely, 

(Your Name)

12/4/14

Keep on studying!

12/3/14

Tonight's homework is to prepare for tomorrow's unit exam. See the previous posts for potentially helpful resources. Good luck.

Ecology Exam Resources

Ecology Exam Topics

- Biodiversity and factors that impact it
- Invasive species
- Ecological succession
- Niches/roles within ecosystems - ex. decomposers
- Photosynthesis and respiration
- Gross primary productivity and net primary productivity
- The movement of energy through the ecosystem
- Food webs and food chains
- Ecosystem structure (ex. populations v. communities)
- Interactions between species (ex. mutualism)
- Biomes
- Ecological pyramids - numbers, energy, biomass
- Nitrogen cycle and its impacts (eutrophication, algal blooms, dead zones)
- Phosphorus cycle
- Natural selection and evolution
- Ecosystem services

Ecology Pre-Exam FRQ Answer Rubrics with Sample Responses

Ecology Exam Review Questions

Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability.

1. Why do introduced species often become pests?

2. More than 600 species of trees grow in Costa Rica, most of them in the tropical rainforests. What might account for the coexistence of so many species with similar resource needs?

3a. Which of the following can lead to populations that are less adapted to the environment than were their ancestors?

a. Natural selection c. Mutations

b. Migration d. Genetic drift

3b. Support your answer to 3a.

4. A new aquatic ecosystem has been found in a small lake underneath a thick pack of ice in Antarctica. Measurements show that light can penetrate the ice into the water. Through drill holes, scientists have brought up samples and set up a laboratory on-site. The ecosystem appears to be entirely microscopic, and there are at least four new species of plankton in the water samples. You have been sent to investigate and characterize the new ecosystem.

a. Discuss how you would determine that the energy source for the ecosystem is light.

b. Describe the possible experiments that you might conduct to determine the trophic levels of each species (A-D), and explain how the results of those experiments might help you conclude which species is at which trophic level.

5. Are humans a keystone species?

6. Farming has been described as managing land to keep it in an early stage of succession. What does this mean, and how is it achieved?

7. Describe what occurs during each step of the nitrogen cycle.

8. Explain what occurs during primary/secondary succession.

9. According to what you know, why is it that no population can grow indefinitely?

10. What are the major biomes on Earth and what factors determine their characteristics?

11. Describe the roles that producers, consumers, and decomposers play in an ecosystem.

12. What happens to energy as it flows through the food webs and food chains of an ecosystem?

Interesting Illustrated Explanation of Succession

Interesting Illustrated Explanation of Species Interactions

Also, here is an interesting broadcast from Freakonomics Radio about how invasive species have been (poorly) dealt with in the past.