SEE-U 2000: Atlantic Forest - Module 4:Exercise 4

## General Methadology for Instructors and TAs

## Exercise 4: Population Size in Habitats of Different Area
Module 4: Growth and Competition: Population and Metapopulation Dynamics

1. Background Lecture:
   - Basic population parameters (structure, density, growth rates, birth and death rates, reproductive rates, etc
   - Estimates of population size (capture-recapture models)
   - Population dynamics models (matrix models)
   - Stella—introduction to use and programming
2. Activities in the experiment:
   - Collection of data on population density
   - Calculation of population density
   - Compare population densities
   - Build a model of population growth
3. Hypotheses to test
   - Is population size affected by area?
4. Independent variables in the experiment
   - Area of habitat
5. Dependent variables that they could use in their experimental design.
   - Population size
6. Student evaluation
   - Based on presentation of results (written and oral)
7. Preparation notes
   - This lab can be done with
     - Plants—quadrat methods
     - Insects—capture-recapture techniques (with previous capture and marking)
     - Mammals/birds—using distance measurements along transects