The Predator-Prey Tango: Understanding Population Dynamics

Biology Grades High School 5:08 Video
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Lesson Description

Explore the intricate dance between predator and prey populations and how their interactions shape ecosystem dynamics.

Video Resource

Predator prey cycle | Ecology | Khan Academy

Khan Academy

Duration: 5:08
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Predator-prey relationships as a form of interspecies interaction.
  • Population dynamics and cyclic fluctuations.
  • The impact of predator and prey populations on each other's growth and decline.
  • Real-world examples: Snowshoe hare and Canadian lynx.

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to define predator-prey relationships and explain their role in ecosystems.
  • Students will be able to describe the predator-prey cycle and its impact on population sizes.
  • Students will be able to analyze real-world data illustrating predator-prey dynamics (e.g., snowshoe hare and Canadian lynx).
  • Students will be able to predict how changes in predator or prey populations can affect an ecosystem.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students what they know about predators and prey. Briefly discuss examples they provide, leading into the concept of predator-prey relationships as a key interaction in ecosystems.
  • Video Viewing (7 mins)
    Play the Khan Academy video 'Predator prey cycle | Ecology | Khan Academy'. Instruct students to take notes on key terms, the predator-prey cycle diagram, and the snowshoe hare/lynx example.
  • Guided Discussion (10 mins)
    Facilitate a discussion using the discussion questions provided. Encourage students to share their observations from the video and connect them to their prior knowledge.
  • Interactive Exercise: Population Simulation (15 mins)
    Engage students in a simulation exercise (see 'Interactive Exercises') to model predator-prey population changes. This can be a computer-based simulation or a hands-on activity using manipulatives.
  • Wrap-up and Assessment (8 mins)
    Review key concepts. Administer the multiple-choice or fill-in-the-blank quiz as a formative assessment. Assign a short writing prompt for homework: 'Describe how a change in the snowshoe hare population would affect the Canadian lynx population and the broader ecosystem.'

Interactive Exercises

  • Predator-Prey Population Simulation
    Use an online simulation (e.g., NetLogo predator-prey model) or a simple spreadsheet model to allow students to manipulate predator and prey birth and death rates and observe the resulting population fluctuations. Students can explore scenarios such as introducing a new predator or removing a predator from the system.

Discussion Questions

  • What are some examples of predator-prey relationships in different ecosystems?
  • How does an increase in the predator population affect the prey population, and vice versa?
  • What other factors, besides predator-prey interactions, can influence population sizes?
  • Why is understanding predator-prey dynamics important for conservation efforts?

Skills Developed

  • Data analysis and interpretation
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving
  • Model building and simulation
  • Scientific communication

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

In a predator-prey relationship, which of the following is true?

Correct Answer: Changes in one population can influence the other population's growth and decline.

Question 2:

What is the term for the cyclical fluctuation in predator and prey populations?

Correct Answer: Predator-Prey Cycle

Question 3:

Which of the following is an example of a predator-prey relationship discussed in the video?

Correct Answer: Snowshoe Hare and Canadian Lynx

Question 4:

If the prey population decreases, what is the most likely short-term effect on the predator population?

Correct Answer: The predator population will decrease.

Question 5:

If the predator population decreases, what is the most likely short-term effect on the prey population?

Correct Answer: The prey population will increase.

Question 6:

According to the data presented in the video on snowshoe hares and Canadian lynx, what happens when the hare population is high?

Correct Answer: The lynx population increases.

Question 7:

The predator-prey cycle demonstrates what type of interaction between species?

Correct Answer: Antagonistic

Question 8:

What does the vertical axis on the graph of snowshoe hare and Canadian lynx populations represent?

Correct Answer: Number of Animals

Question 9:

In an ecosystem, what is the term for the maximum population size of a species that the environment can sustain?

Correct Answer: Carrying capacity

Question 10:

Which of the following factors can disrupt a predator-prey cycle?

Correct Answer: All of the above.

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

A relationship where one organism hunts and consumes another is called a ______ relationship.

Correct Answer: predator-prey

Question 2:

The repeated pattern of population increase and decrease between predators and prey is known as the ______.

Correct Answer: predator-prey cycle

Question 3:

In the example discussed, the snowshoe hare is the ______ and the Canadian lynx is the ______.

Correct Answer: prey/predator

Question 4:

When the prey population is high, the predator population tends to ______.

Correct Answer: increase

Question 5:

A decrease in the predator population can lead to a(n) ______ in the prey population.

Correct Answer: increase

Question 6:

The Khan Academy video uses data spanning approximately 100 ______ to illustrate the predator-prey cycle.

Correct Answer: years

Question 7:

The example in the video uses the number of animals measured in ______.

Correct Answer: thousands

Question 8:

The hare is at its carrying capacity when the _______ population is low.

Correct Answer: lynx

Question 9:

Besides predator/prey interactions, _______ conditions can also disrupt the predator/prey relationship.

Correct Answer: environmental

Question 10:

A population cycle needs both a prey species and a _______ species to survive.

Correct Answer: predator

Educational Standards

B.LS2.2:Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales. B.LS2.6:Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem. B.LS4.5:Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions may result in (1) increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence of new species over time, and (3) the extinction of other species.

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