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Teacher'sInstructions:CARRYINGCapacity1)Handoutthepagewiththepicturesonit(page7)andallowstudentstimetointerpretit2)Basedontheinformationconveyedinthepictures,havethestudentsdevelopadefinitionforcarryingcapacity.
3)Basedontheirdefinitionofcarryingcapacity,havethestudentsdeterminethefactorsonwhichcarryingcapacitydepends.
4)Provideeachstudentwiththerestofthehandout(pages2-4)Readthroughittogethertohavethestudentsdetermineiftheirdefinitionforcarryingcapacityandthefactorsonwhichitdependsisappropriate.
5)Gooverwhatthegraphofapopulationatitscarryingcapacitylookslike.
Emphasizethatapopulationfluctuatesaroundit'scarryingcapacity.
6)Ensurethatallstudentsrealizethatthecarryingcapacityisthemaximumnumberforacertainpopulationandthatpopulationsdonotneedtobeattheircarryingcapacitiestobestable.
7)Havethestudentsanswerthequestionsinthehandout.
8)Correctthequestions(answerkeyonpages5and6).
carryingcapacitynumbertimefluctuations1of7CARRYINGCapacityObjectives:KeyTerms:-beabletodescribethecarryingcapacityofanecosystem-learnsomedefinitionsforcarryingcapacity-typically:relatingtoorrepresentingsomething-ecosystem:asystemofinteractingorganismsandtheirnon-livingenvironment-equilibrium:stable,balancedorunchangingsystem-fluctuate:toriseandfallasifinwaves2of7TASKS:-lookatthecarryingcapacitypicturecalled"TheFullBucket"-interpretitthebestyoucanandcreateyourowndefinitionofcarryingcapacity-determinethefactorsonwhichcarryingcapacitydepends-determineifyourdefinitionforcarryingcapacityisappropriate-readthenotesandanswerthequestionsonpages4and5Carryingcapacityistypicallyexpressedasthenumberofanimalsofacertaintypewhichcanbesupportedinanecosystem.
Carryingcapacitymaybeseenasanequilibriumorbalance.
However,thecarryingcapacityformanyspeciesisalwayschangingduetovariousfactors.
Thecarryingcapacityofanecosystemdependsonthreefactors:1)theamountofresourcesavailableintheecosystem2)thesizeofthepopulation3)theamountofresourceseachindividualisconsumingCarryingcapacitycanalsohaveabroadermeaning.
Itcanbedefinedasthenumberoflivingthings(plantsandanimals)anyareaoflandorwatercansupportatanyonetime.
Differentorganismswillhavedifferentcarryingcapacitiesinthesamearea.
Thus,thecarryingcapacityofanecosystemaffectseverythingthatlivesinit.
Thepopulationsofmostlivingthingstendtofluctuatenaturallyaroundacertainlevel.
Thatlevelisthecarryingcapacity.
Thefollowingisagraphofapopulationatthecarryingcapacityofitsecosystem.
Notes:carryingcapacitynumbertimeCARRYINGCapacityQuestions:1)Writeyourowndefinitionofcarryingcapacity.
(2)2)Onwhatdoesacarryingcapacitydepend(3)3)Canyouthinkofotherfactorsthatmayaffectacarryingcapacity(2)4)Refertothefollowingstatementwhenansweringthenextquestions.
(4)"Thecarryingcapacityofthislakeequals150minnows.
"a)Canlessthan150minnowsliveinthislakeb)Canmorethan150minnowsliveinthislakec)Let'ssaythatthereare140minnowsinthislakewhentheamountofresourcesinthislakedecreasesandthecarryingcapacitydropsfrom150to100minnows.
WhatwillhappentothisminnowpopulationWhywillthishappenCARRYINGCapacity(20)3of7CARRYINGCapacity5)Refertothefollowinggraphsforthenextsetofquestions.
(9)number50100150200250300year1234567number50100150200250300year1234567GraphAGraphBFORGRAPHA:a)Whatisthecarryingcapacity(approx.
)b)Approximatelyduringwhichyeardidthispopulationreachthecarryingcapacityofitsecosystemc)AbouthowmanyyearsdiditstayatthecarryingcapacityFORGRAPHB:a)Whatarethecarryingcapacitiesofthisgraphb)Howmanyyearsdidthispopulationspendatthefirstcarryingcapacityc)Duringwhichyeardiditreachthenextcarryingcapacityd)WhichcarryingcapacityismorestableWhydoyouthinkso4of7AnswerKey:1)Writeyourowndefinitionofcarryingcapacity.
(2)Answerswillvary.
2)Onwhatdoesacarryingcapacitydepend(3)Carryingcapacitydependsontheamountofresourcesavailable,thesizeofthepopulationandtheamountofresourceseachindividualisconsuming.
3)Canyouthinkofotherfactorsthatmayaffectacarryingcapacity(2)Answersmayvary.
Someexamplesinclude:naturaldisasters,humanactivities,weather,temperature,etc.
4)Refertothefollowingstatementwhenansweringthenextquestions.
(4)"Thecarryingcapacityofthislakeequals150minnows.
"a)Canlessthan150minnowsliveinthislakeYesb)Canmorethan150minnowsliveinthislakeNoc)Let'ssaythatthereare140minnowsinthislakewhentheamountofresourcesinthislakedecreasesandthecarryingcapacitydropsfrom150to100minnows.
WhatwillhappentothisminnowpopulationWhywillthishappenThisminnowpopulationwilldecreasetoatleast100minnows.
Thiswillhappenbecausethecarryingcapacityhasdecreasedduetooneofthefollowingfactors:fewerresourcesavailableoralargerpopulation.
CARRYINGCapacity(20)5of7CARRYINGCapacity5)Refertothefollowinggraphsforthenextsetofquestions(9).
number50100150200250300year1234567number50100150200250300year1234567GraphAGraphBFORGRAPHA:a)Whatisthecarryingcapacity(approx.
)250b)Approximatelyduringwhichyeardidthispopulationreachthecarryingcapacityofitsecosystemyear3c)Abouthowmanyyearsdiditstayatthecarryingcapacity4FORGRAPHB:a)Whatarethecarryingcapacitiesofthisgraph200and100b)Howmanyyearsdidthispopulationspendatthefirstcarryingcapacity2c)Duringwhichyeardiditreachthenextcarryingcapacityyear4d)WhichcarryingcapacityismorestableWhydoyouthinksoThesecondonebecausethepopulationismorestableatit(itstayedatthesecondcarryingcapacitylonger).
6of77of7CARRYINGCapacity