Population

and Limiting Factors Lab Follow-Up Questions

(to be completed after African Lion Simulation)
1. Sketch a graph of what the population graph would look like if there were an unlimited amount of
mice for the owls to hunt.

a. Is this graph realistic? Why or why not?

2. Sketch a graph of the owl population given the limited amount of resources in its environment.
Assume the carrying capacity is around 10 owls in the ecosystem.

3. When the forest with the owl and the mouse was in a drought, predict what would happen to the
carrying capacity from Question #2. Explain your reasoning

4. When a competitor (the snake) was introduced to the forest predict what would happen to the
carrying capacity from Question #2. Explain your reasoning.

5. The forest that houses the owl and the mouse population is on an island surrounded by ocean.
Because of climate change, sea levels are rising and part of the forest is now underwater.
a. Is climate change density-dependent or density-independent?

b. How will the rising sea levels affect the amount of habitat in the forest?

c. How would the change in habitat affect the owls competition with each other and other
species for resources?

d. Is competition density-dependent or density-independent?

e. Predict what would happen to the carrying capacity of the owls from Question #2.