2.5: Population Ecology Practice Problems

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Page ID: 12229

Caralyn Zehnder, Kalina Manoylov, Samuel Mutiti, Christine Mutiti, Allison VandeVoort, & Donna Bennett
Georgia College and State University via GALILEO Open Learning Materials

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1. If a population is experiencing exponential growth, what happens to N, r and G over time (increase, decrease or stay the same)?

2. At the beginning of the year, there are 7650 individuals in a population of beavers whose per capita rate of increase for the year is 0.18. What is its population growth rate at the end of the year?

3. A zebrafish population of 1000 individuals lives in an ecosystem that can support a maximum of 2000 zebrafish. The per capita rate of increase for the population is 0.01 for the year. What is the population growth rate?

4. In a scenario where: r = 0.25; K = 18,000;

a. What is G when i) N = 4,500; ii) N = 9,000; and iii) N = 13,500?

b. Which N level results in the highest population growth rate and why?

5. A chipmunk population is experiencing exponential growth with a population growth rate of 265 individuals/year, and a per capita rate of increase of 0.15. How many chipmunks are currently in this population?

6. Scientists discovered a new species of frog and were able to estimate its population at 755 individuals. At the end of the year, 105 frogs were added to this population. Assuming the population is undergoing exponential growth, what is the per capita rate of increase? Test your skills (extra challenge)

7. At the beginning of the year, a wildlife area that is 1,000,000 ha in size has a population of 90 Brown bears with a per capita growth rate of 0.02. It’s estimated that brown bears need a territory of about 10 km2 per individual (note: 1 km2 = 100 ha). Use this information to answer the following questions.

a. What is the density of brown bears in this wildlife preserve currently?

b. What is the carrying capacity of the preserve?

c. What is the population growth rate for this year?

8. A wildlife ranch currently has a population of polar bears whose death rate is 0.05 and birth rate is 0.12 per year. This particular ranch is isolated from other suitable habitats so there’s no immigration into or emigration from this population. This population is experiencing logistic growth and currently has 550 bears. If the population growth rate for the year was 36 bears, what is the carrying capacity of the preserve?