Go Fish!

Why are we doing this activity?

What are we going to do? The class will be split into two groups. One group will “become” fish. The other group will “become” the components of the aquatic habitat. We will use hand gestures to indicate the different components of the habitat.

Food

Shelter

Space

How do we “play?” At the beginning of each round, each “fish” decides what it will need. At the same time, each “component of the habitat” decides which component it will be that round. Each student will make the appropriate hand gesture. Choose carefully because you CANNOT change your hand gesture during the round.

How do we “win?” When you hear, “Go Fish,” everyone will turn around and the “fish” will look for what they “need.” The “components of the habitat” CANNOT move. Fish that find what they need, survive to reproduce. (The component will become a fish for the next round.) Fish that do not find what they need, will die and their “remains” are recycled by decomposers and become components of the habitat for the next round.

DATA You will need to keep track of the fish population. Copy the following tables into your journal.

Trial 1 Year Population Size 1 12  2  8 3  12 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1st period Year Fish Population Size Prey Predator Population Size 1 7 2 12 3 4 6 5 10 8 9

2nd period Year Fish Population Size 1 8 2 16 3 4 5 6 12 7 9 10

2nd period Year Fish Population Size Prey Predator Population Size 1 12 2 10 3 8 4 5 14 6 7 9

3rd period Trial 1 Trial 2 Year Fish Population Size Prey Predator Population Size 1 13 2 6 4 3 8 5 9 7 10 Year Fish Population Size 1 10 2 6 3 12 4 16 5 7 8 9

Trial 1 Trial 2

7th period Trial 2 Trial 1 Year Fish Population Size Prey Predator Population Size 1 17 2 14 5 3 8 10 4 6 7 9 13 Year Population Size 1 12 2 18 3 4 19 5 8 6 14 7 20 9 10 17

Component Population Size 7th period Year Fish Population Size Component Population Size 1 13 12 2 6 19 3 8 17 4 16 9 5 20 10 15 7 18 14 11

8th period Year Fish Population Size 1 14 2 24 3 9 4 18 5 17 6 20 7 16 12 10 21 Year Fish Population Size Prey Predator Population Size 1 21 2 16 5 3 12 13 4 17 7 6 10 9 8 11 14

DATA You will need to keep track of the fish population. Copy the following tables into your journal. At the end of this activity you will need to graph your results AND answer the CONCLUSION questions.

Summary of graph Explain what this graph is telling you about how the population of fish and the amount of components interact with each other.

Conclusion Questions 1. Identify three essential components of a habitat. 2. How do these components influence carrying capacity?

Carrying Capacity The number of organisms of one species that an environment can support indefinitely.

Limiting Factors 3. Define “limiting factors.” 4. What are some limiting factors that affect the survival of animals?

Limiting Factors Limiting factor- any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the existence of organisms in a specific environment. (keeps the population from increasing) Light, nutrients, food, water, etc.) Disease Competition Habitat Size/Crowding Weather

Competition 5. How do factors affect competition within a species? What three things might happen to the less competitive organism? move to another area adapt to new survival strategies die.

6. Are wildlife populations static, or do they tend to fluctuate as part of an overall “balance” of nature? 7. Look at your graph. What factors may have caused population changes from year to year. Identify the specific “years” from your graph in your answer. 8. What are the advantages and limitations of this model?