Squirrel Lab
Question: How does the competition between a native and invasive squirrel affect the two population sizes.
Research:
-Red Squirrel: The red squirrel is somewhat smaller than the eastern grey squirrel. It is thought that the long tail helps the squirrel to balance and steer when jumping from tree to tree and running along branches and may keep the animal warm during sleep.The coat of the red squirrel varies in color with time of year and location. There are several different coat color morphs ranging from black to red.
-Black Squirrel: An adaptable species as it does adapt and thrive in many ecosystems. The coat is gray but can also turn brown and it is bigger than the red squirrel. The tail is long and bushy.
Hypothesis: The population of the red squirrels will decrease as the stronger and adaptable grey squirrels arrive over time.
Experiment: Follow teacher directions.
Data:
Question: How does the competition between a native and invasive squirrel affect the two population sizes.
Research:
-Red Squirrel: The red squirrel is somewhat smaller than the eastern grey squirrel. It is thought that the long tail helps the squirrel to balance and steer when jumping from tree to tree and running along branches and may keep the animal warm during sleep.The coat of the red squirrel varies in color with time of year and location. There are several different coat color morphs ranging from black to red.
-Black Squirrel: An adaptable species as it does adapt and thrive in many ecosystems. The coat is gray but can also turn brown and it is bigger than the red squirrel. The tail is long and bushy.
Hypothesis: The population of the red squirrels will decrease as the stronger and adaptable grey squirrels arrive over time.
Experiment: Follow teacher directions.
Data:
Graph:
Conclusion Questions:
1. It was most difficult the red squirrels to find resources when their were no grey squirrels, because
there would be plenty left for them. It was most difficult for the red squirrels when the grey squirrels
came in, because they took all of the resources and there were not many left for the red squirrels.
2. Organisms in the same population compete for resources when the resources become scarce. For
example the red squirrel population competed for resources cause there were not enough left for all of
them to survive.
3. Resources are affected by competition, because if there are a lot of organisms competing then the
resources would become scarce.
4. To avoid extinction the native squirrels could change their niche by finding their resources in another
area, or they could find something else to eat.
Claim: The competition of the invasive and native squirrels does affect population. The red squirrels population did decrease and the grey squirrels population increased.
Evidence: Before the grey squirrels came in the red squirrels thrived, because there was no competition. As the red squirrel population did start off as 87 squirrels and overtime increased to a maximum of 125 squirrels. But as the grey squirrels arrived the red squirrels decreased, the first year by 125 to 98 squirrels. By year twenty the red squirrels population was 0 squirrels, and the grey squirrels population was 178 squirrels. The populations were affected by competition of the grey squirrels and predators.
Reasoning: The grey squirrels population did increase and by year 20 it was at 178 squirrels and the red squirrels population decreased and by year 20 there were 0 squirrels. For this reason I can conclude that the grey squirrels were more fit to get to the resources than the red squirrels. The grey squirrels traits were more suitable for the enviroment, which caused the population to thrive. And, since the grey squirrels took many of the resources the red squirrels population decreased.
1. It was most difficult the red squirrels to find resources when their were no grey squirrels, because
there would be plenty left for them. It was most difficult for the red squirrels when the grey squirrels
came in, because they took all of the resources and there were not many left for the red squirrels.
2. Organisms in the same population compete for resources when the resources become scarce. For
example the red squirrel population competed for resources cause there were not enough left for all of
them to survive.
3. Resources are affected by competition, because if there are a lot of organisms competing then the
resources would become scarce.
4. To avoid extinction the native squirrels could change their niche by finding their resources in another
area, or they could find something else to eat.
Claim: The competition of the invasive and native squirrels does affect population. The red squirrels population did decrease and the grey squirrels population increased.
Evidence: Before the grey squirrels came in the red squirrels thrived, because there was no competition. As the red squirrel population did start off as 87 squirrels and overtime increased to a maximum of 125 squirrels. But as the grey squirrels arrived the red squirrels decreased, the first year by 125 to 98 squirrels. By year twenty the red squirrels population was 0 squirrels, and the grey squirrels population was 178 squirrels. The populations were affected by competition of the grey squirrels and predators.
Reasoning: The grey squirrels population did increase and by year 20 it was at 178 squirrels and the red squirrels population decreased and by year 20 there were 0 squirrels. For this reason I can conclude that the grey squirrels were more fit to get to the resources than the red squirrels. The grey squirrels traits were more suitable for the enviroment, which caused the population to thrive. And, since the grey squirrels took many of the resources the red squirrels population decreased.