Thursday, December 19, 2013

12/19/13

Your homework over the break is to complete Assignment 30 and 31. Assignment 31 is already up on Quest. In addition, here is some interesting reading material if you are so inclined:

One With Nineveh: Politics, Consumption, and the Human Future - Paul and Anne Ehrlich (Introduction and Chapter 1)

Assignment 30 Applying Understanding of Human Population Dynamics

Questions 1-3 are based upon the following situation.

You are a demographer for the United Nations and have been assigned to analyze the country of Florin. Florin is a small, mountainous country in Eastern Europe. About 20 to 30 percent of the land is available for farming. The major crops are wheat, barley, and grapes. Much of the barley and grapes is used to make beers and wines for export. The majority of citizens work in the vineyards and fields of a few wealthy landowners and subsistence farm on small plots of land where they live. The majority of the citizens are below the poverty level. The country’s main religion is Catholicism. They believe in large, extended families and children are heavily involved in the labor force. The citizens have limited, minimal health care available to them. Although officially a democracy, the government of Florin is more totalitarian with a weak president and the ruling body made up primarily of the wealthy landowners. In an effort to improve the standard of living for the Florinese people, the government has asked for help from the United Nations. Florin has a small but growing population of about 100 million people. The following demographic data are available for Florin:

Percent of Total Population
Age (Years)
Male
Female
0-4
9
9
5-9
8
7
10-14
7
6
15-19
5
5
20-24
4
4
25-29
3.5
3.7
30-34
3
3.1
35-39
2
2.4
40-44
2.2
1.9
45-49
1.8
1.8
50-54
1
1
55-59
0.9
0.8
60-64
0.7
0.7
65-69
0.5
0.6
70-74
0.2
0.3
75+
0.1
0.2

1. Identify and describe the type of population growth that Florin is experiencing. Support your conclusions.

2. What kinds of (population related) outcomes might Florin face in the coming years?

3. Identify and describe the recommendations that you might give to help the Florinese people. What policies (ex. population, social, economic) should the government try to institute, bearing in mind the country’s religious, economic, and social structure?



4. Congratulations! You are in charge of the world. Identify and describe the three most important features of your population policy. Make sure that you explain why these policies are in place as well.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

12/18/13

Tonight's homework is to complete Assignment 29 Parts 1 and 2. To access the 2012 Population, click here for a .pdf or here for a googledoc. There is also a check-in tomorrow.


Assignment 29


Human Population Dynamics – Part 1 Practice Questions


Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability. Support your answers with details, calculations, evidence, examples, vocabulary and strong reasoning whenever possible.


1. Using the 2012 World Population Data Sheet determine the ARPC and doubling time for the “More Developed,” “Less Developed (Excluding China),” China, and the “Least Developed” portions of the world. Show your work.


2. Nigeria’s population is expected to surpass 400 million by the year 2050. After examining the 2012 World Population Data Sheet, explain why this is the case. Support your conclusion with data/calculations. NOTE: Nigeria is in Western Africa.


3a. Which continent is experiencing the most rapid population growth? Support your conclusion with data/calculations. Why do you think this is the case?
3b. Which inhabited continent (not Antarctica) is undergoing the slowest population growth? Support your conclusion with data/calculations. Why do you think this is the case?


4. Why is it rational for a poor couple in a developing country such as India to have four or five children? What changes might induce such a couple to consider their behavior irrational?


5. After examining and working with the 2012 World Population Data Sheet, what is your reaction? For example, was any information surprising? Do you have concerns? What, if anything, do you think should be done based on what you have observed and calculated?
Human Population Dynamics – Part 2 Practice Questions


Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability. Support your answers with details, calculations, evidence, examples, vocabulary and strong reasoning whenever possible.


After examining the 2012 World Population Highlights, you will be able to answer questions 6 and 7.


6. Based on Malawi’s age-structure diagram, what predictions can you make about its population growth? At which stage in the demographic transition do you think it is currently? How do you know?


7. Looking at the United States’ changes in age-structure…


a. What were some of the factors that caused this transition?

b. What are some of the implications of an increasingly older population?


8. Why is it important to think about and understand the age structure of a human population?


9. Based on what you know, how would you expect each of the following to change as per capita (per person) income increased? Support your answers.


a. Birth rates
b. Death rates
c. Average family size

d. Age structure of the population

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

12/17/13

Tonight's homework is to read 4.3 "Age Structure" from p. 67 through 69 and 4.5 "Longevity and Its Population Effect on Population Growth" on p. 71 through 73 in Botkin and Keller. You can take notes but we will be discussing the material in class tomorrow but there may be some questions about the reading as part of your Do Now (which would be collected).

Monday, December 16, 2013

12/16/13

Tonight's homework is to complete Assignment 28 Part 1 and read and take notes "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. If you didn't complete any aspect of the weekend's homework previously, then it is strongly recommended that you do so.

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?

Analysis


Part I: Unrestricted Exponential Growth of the iPhone Island Population

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



“iPhone Island – Modeling Exponential 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.



Part I: Unrestricted Exponential Growth of the iPhone Island Population

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?

Sample Data for Assignment 28 Part 1

Friday, December 13, 2013

Unit 3 Ecology Exam MC Keys



12/13/13

This weekend's homework is to complete Part II of Assignment 28 and read "A Closer Look" and "Working It Out" for 4.1 and 4.2 (p. 64, 66, 68) and add to your reading notes about populations.


Part II: 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  





Using the above information, plot 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.)


“iPhone Island – Modeling Exponential 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.


Part II: Doubling Time of a Population
6. Calculate the growth rate for the U.S. Show your work.
· As of 2012, the population of the U.S. was approximately 313,900,000. The increase in
the U.S. population is approximately 2,200,000 a year, from immigration and new births.
· Growth rate = amount of change in a population/total population x 100.
7. Calculate the doubling rate for the population of the U.S. Show your work.
· To determine doubling time, divide 70 by the population’s growth rate.
8. What inferences and/or connections can you make based on the graph of the United States’ population growth?
9. How did this activity connect to our discussions of population biology this week?

Thursday, December 12, 2013

12/12/13

Tonight's homework is as follows:

For both 12A and 12CD: Read "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.

12A: Take notes on what you read and then complete the remaining questions for Assignment 27B. Some extra credit is available to those who determine the 95% confidence interval for their data and the sample data.

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?

12CD: Read the article and complete Assignment 27B. Remember that your answer to #5 will be collected and scored.


Assignment 27B "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 one 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.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

12/11/13

There is no formal homework tonight. Just make sure that you have access to your group's collected data for class tomorrow.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

12/10/13

Tonight's homework is to complete Assignment 26. See below.

“Too Many To Count!” Comprehension and Discussion Questions

Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability. 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 1 year’s time? Support your answer. Use vocabulary and details.

Monday, December 9, 2013

12/9/13

Tonight's homework is to read sections 4.1 and 4.2 (p. 61-66) in Botkin and Keller and add to your notes from today.

Friday, December 6, 2013

12/6/13

This weekend's homework is to complete Assignment 25 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 25 - 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.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

12/5/13

Tonight you should continue studying and preparing for the free-response portion of the ecology exam. Good luck.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

12/4/13

Tonight's homework is just to prepare for the first part of tomorrow's unit exam. Good luck.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Humans Share Food Chain Level With Pigs, Study Finds

See here for access to the article from Popular Science.

12/3/13

Tonight's homework is to complete Assignment 24 and study for Thursday and Friday's exam. To complete Assignment 24, you need to answer the Guiding Questions:

1. How is Caulerpa taxifolia an invasive species?

2. How does this case study relate to the principles of sustainability (reliance on solar energy, nutrient cycling, population control, and biodiversity)?


To support your efforts, use the following:

Powerpoint from class today
Sea Grant California's article about the detection Caulerpa taxifolia off the coast of California
PBS Nova video clip about Caulerpa taxifolia

Also, the articles from yesterday's post could be helpful. If you want to review/complete the other MC questions, then go for it. They were intended to help focus your attention on relevant details while we discussed the case study.

Monday, December 2, 2013

12/2/13

Tonight's homework is to complete Assignment 23 and then read the following to prepare for tomorrow's investigation of an invasive species:


and...

Assignment 23 - Invasion!


Your task is to investigate invasive species that are currently affecting ecosystems in New York State (or at least are of concern within the state). Choose at one animal and one plant to investigate. In each case that you investigate, think about and record the species’


  • Basic characteristics
  • Origins
  • Impact on ecosystems
  • Any methods of intervention or control


Access the class website and the links under today’s post to obtain information.


After you become more familiar with the relevant characteristics of your invasive species, take a moment to summarize and explicitly state what makes your species of interest an invasive species as well as why people are concerned about it.


Some species of interest:
  • Emerald Ash Borer
  • Hydrilla
  • Asian Longhorned Beetle
  • Japanese Knotweed
  • Northern Snakehead Fish
  • Giant Hogweed
  • Feral swine


When asked, you will share information about organism that you felt was of greatest interest and concern with your group.


Invasion! Thinking and Discussion Questions


Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability and in complete sentences. Use examples and class vocabulary to create the best responses possible. Support your answers with references to what you investigated or heard about today.


1. Why discuss or be concerned with invasive species?


2. Realistically, what can be done about invasive species?

3. In the end, are invasive species a problem? When answering this question, think about your perspective and the principles of sustainability (reliance on solar energy, nutrient cycling, population control, and biodiversity) as well.



Use the following links to gain information about invasive species - especially those that impact New York State.

New York State Invasive Species information

Other invasive species of interest:
European rabbits
Kudzu

Homework reading - "A Delicate Pacific Seaweed Is Now A Monster Of The Deep" - New York Times, August 1997.