|
|
BACKGROUND The problem is a classwork sheet that is designed to put our lessons into practical use. It can be used as a pretest, a classroom sheet, or a homework assignment.
OBJECTIVES When students have completed this activity, students will be able to: 1. Calculate the density and rate of change in a practical situation.
2. List the limiting factors that affect the population density of squirrels.
3. Demonstrate the ability to make recommendations on how to correct a population problem.
STRATEGIES Teacher may use this as an individual or group activity. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 1. .27 squirrel per acre 2. .75 squirrel per acre 3. .05 squirrel per acre per year 4. .77 squirrel per acre 5. Decrease in the amount of brush, decrease in the amount of woods, increase in open pasture land 6. Allow some of the pasture land to go to brush, increase ecotone areas, install another pond. Remember -- N (Number of organisms) D (Density) = --- S (Size of area)
DD (Change in density) R (Rate of Density) = ---- DT (Change in time)
"A SQUIRRELLY PROBLEM" Name ______________ Date ________ A problem was presented to a wildlife biologist by a Baltimore County farmer concerning his squirrel population. Squirrels are actually rodents and are found in the forests. They will venture or migrate into other cover to meet their survival needs. Storing acorns for year long use is common but squirrels are also opportunistic feeders and will eat almost any farm crop. They must go to water two times a day. They do not like to cross any open or uncovered areas.
In talking with the farmer the following data was obtained. He counted 100 squirrels before the 1998 fall hunting season. His farm consisted of 375 acres in 1998, he had counted 280 squirrels on the same farm.
His neighbor, who's farm consisted of 260 acres, counted 200 squirrels before the 1998 fall hunting season. A breakdown of the 2 farms is as follows.
There are 10 possible answers to the following questions. Show all work on your paper. Place answers on this paper. Questions 5 and 6 have more than one correct answer, you may give 3 for each work independently. 1. What was the density of squirrels on the farmers land in 1998? 2. What was the density of squirrels on the farmer's land in 1988? 3. What was the rate of change of squirrels from 1988 to 1998? 4. What was the density of squirrels on the neighbor's farm in 1998? 5. What could have caused the decrease in squirrel density on the farmer's land from 1988 1998? 6. What would you recommend to the farmer to correct his squirrel population problem? This page was last updated 04/26/01 |
|
The Forest Conservancy District Board for Baltimore County 9405 Old Harford Road Baltimore, Maryland 21234 (410) 665-5820 Email Robert Prenger ....... rprenger@dnr.state.md.us Melvin Noland ....... mlnoland@bcpl.net
|