Virtual Lab: Population Biology

How to get there: ( http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0078757134/383928/BL_04.html ) If you don't want to type

all that in you can go to the homepage of your textbook site this site OR type "biology mader aris" into google. Once you
are there and see the textbook cover (bird and chicks) go to the tab at the top that says "resources". Scroll down to "Chap
46", open that page and click on the link to "Virtual Lab - Population Biology".
Instructions: This lab has instructions on the left hand side and also contains pages to enter data and questions. Due to
the trouble we've had in the past with submitting documents and data this way, it is preferable to just turn in a handwritten
or typed copy. Print this out for copies, or use the Word Document to type directly into the tables (preferred).

Data Table
P. aurelia grown
alone, cells/mL

P. aurelia grown in
P. caudatum grown
mixed culture, cells/
alone, cells/mL
mL

P caudatum grown in
mixed culture, cells/mL

Day O

Day 2

10

10

10

Day 4

54

28

34

22

Day 6

86

52

64

18

Day 8

96

60

80

16

Day 10

98

56

94

10

Day 12

98

58

94

Day 14

96

58

94

Day 16

96

56

98

Journal
1. What are the objectives for this experiment? (you can summarize)
- This experiment is to observe the competition between the growth of Paramecium Aurelia and
paramecium caudatum. This experiment will determine the number of growth of each cell.
2. Make a hypothesis about how you think the two species of Paramecium will grow alone and how
they will grow when they are grown together.
-If they reproduce alone, the species multiply while if the species grow together, it takes
lesser number to reproduce.

3. Explain how you tested your hypothesis.

- Ive tested my hypothesis by counting the number of species on slide every other day. As
they reproduce alone, their population increases but Ive notice that if they reproduce

together it lowers the number of the species they reproduce.

4. On what day did the Paramecium caudatum population reach the carrying capacity of the
environment when it was grown alone? How do you know?
-The P. Caudatum reached the carrying capacity on the 8th day because It grows the
population up to the 60 cells on that day.

5. On what day did the Paramecium aurelia population reach the carrying capacity of the
environment? How do you know?
-The P. Aurelia reached the carrying capacity on the 10, 12,14th day. The population grows to
its maximum at 100 and remained constant on 10-14 th day.

6. Explain the differences in the population growth patterns of the two Paramecium species. What
does this tell you about how Paramecium aurelia uses available resources?
-The growth P. Aurelia reproduced faster than the P. Caudatum because it occupies a bigger
space compare to the P. Caudatum. And it is also has the bigger amount of resources than
the P. Caudatum.

7. Describe what happened when the Paramecium populations were mixed in the same test tube. Do
the results support the principle of competitive exclusion? (you may need to briefly explain what
competitive exclusion is)
- The growth or the population of the two paramecium in the same test tube has an impact
when mixed can be concluding in the principle of competitive exclusion. As they reproduce
together in the same test tube, the population of the P. Caudatum getting lesser compare to
the P. Aurelia because it gathers the higher amount of nutrients or resources. And this is
where the principle of competitive exclusion is happening.

8. Explain how this experiment demonstrates that no two species can occupy the same niche.
- Just like in real life of competition, there is always a winner and always have the loser. So,
as we observed the species here in this experiment, we obviously know that the P. Aurelia
can be concluding as the winner and the P. Caudatum is the loser, because it cant reproduce
together with another species. P. Caudatum is easier to reproduce if its alone because there

is no competition happening in reproducing.