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Confirm that the simulation has been reset by checking that the Time Elapsed box to the right of the Control Panel reads “0 Years”.
8 Click the STEP 50 button on the Control Panel, and the simulation will run for 50 years and automatically stop. Watch the graph to confirm that the size of the moose population changes dramatically when the moose first arrive, and then eventually stabilizes (levels out).
← You can adjust how fast the simulation runs with the SPEED slider to the right of the control panel. 9 Once 50 years have passed (model years — not real years!), examine the moose population graph and answer the questions below. (NOTE: if you can’t see the whole graph, use the scroll bar at the bottom of the graph panel to change the field of view.)
2 What is the approximate size of the stable moose population? 706_______
3 What was the (approximate) maximum size the moose population attained? 978 ________
4 Using the horizontal and vertical axes below, roughly sketch the population size graph showing the simulated moose population changing over time. Label one axis “POPULATION SIZE (N)” and the other one “TIME (years)”. You do not need to worry about exact numerical values; just try to capture the shape of the …show more content…
Recent evidence suggests that temperatures around the world are rising. In particular, the average yearly temperature in northern temperate regions is expected to increase significantly. This change will lead to longer, warmer spring and summer seasons in places like Isle Royale. The duration of the growing season for plants will therefore be extended, resulting in more plant food for moose living on the island.
How would a longer growing season affect the moose and wolf populations on Isle Royale? Would they be relatively unaffected? Would the number of moose and wolves both increase indefinitely with higher and higher temperatures, and longer and longer growing seasons?
One way ecologists make predictions about the impacts of global warming is by testing different scenarios using computer models similar to the one you’ve been using in this lab. Even though simulation models are simplifications of the real world, they can be very useful for investigating how things might change in the future. In this exercise, you will use the Isle Royale simulation to investigate how changes in average yearly temperature due to global warming may affect the plant-moose-wolf system on the
8 Click the STEP 50 button on the Control Panel, and the simulation will run for 50 years and automatically stop. Watch the graph to confirm that the size of the moose population changes dramatically when the moose first arrive, and then eventually stabilizes (levels out).
← You can adjust how fast the simulation runs with the SPEED slider to the right of the control panel. 9 Once 50 years have passed (model years — not real years!), examine the moose population graph and answer the questions below. (NOTE: if you can’t see the whole graph, use the scroll bar at the bottom of the graph panel to change the field of view.)
2 What is the approximate size of the stable moose population? 706_______
3 What was the (approximate) maximum size the moose population attained? 978 ________
4 Using the horizontal and vertical axes below, roughly sketch the population size graph showing the simulated moose population changing over time. Label one axis “POPULATION SIZE (N)” and the other one “TIME (years)”. You do not need to worry about exact numerical values; just try to capture the shape of the …show more content…
Recent evidence suggests that temperatures around the world are rising. In particular, the average yearly temperature in northern temperate regions is expected to increase significantly. This change will lead to longer, warmer spring and summer seasons in places like Isle Royale. The duration of the growing season for plants will therefore be extended, resulting in more plant food for moose living on the island.
How would a longer growing season affect the moose and wolf populations on Isle Royale? Would they be relatively unaffected? Would the number of moose and wolves both increase indefinitely with higher and higher temperatures, and longer and longer growing seasons?
One way ecologists make predictions about the impacts of global warming is by testing different scenarios using computer models similar to the one you’ve been using in this lab. Even though simulation models are simplifications of the real world, they can be very useful for investigating how things might change in the future. In this exercise, you will use the Isle Royale simulation to investigate how changes in average yearly temperature due to global warming may affect the plant-moose-wolf system on the