2.07 Population Dynamics

Look everybody, it's a bald eagle. Isn't it great that our national symbol is making a comeback in the wild! I wonder how many eagles live in this community. I guess a deeper question still is "How many eagles COULD live in this community?" Because, I don't know of anything that chases down eagles for dinner.

In this activity you will: examine how variations and natural selection affect population dynamics. list factors that affect an environment's carrying capacity. predict effects of environmental factors, such as reproduction types, space, and competition on populations. The Honors student will: develop an understanding of ecological relationships. assess the impact of various pollutants on a stream and its inhabitants. interpret data in order to determine how variables interact under real-life conditions.

Let's see if we can get a better view.

Did you know that the bald eagle was nearly driven to extinction by something as simple as man-made chemical pollution that was used to kill mosquitoes? We tried to keep the mosquito population under control, and ended up doing more harm than good to our environment. Even when man doesn't interfere, nature has it's own way of keeping populations under control.

Limiting factors and natural selection are two things in nature that work to keep populations from exploding. Take the mighty eagle for example. There are only so many rabbits available for dinner. Once the rabbits are gone, somebody goes hungry.

Before moving on, take a minute to check out this "Eagle Cam," but don't stay too long!

Click on the BioVenture tab to continue the Extreme Eco Challenge.