1. The Game of Population Changes
Exploring Population Changes
This slide begins the classroom presentation

2. A red-green color blind predator moves into the forest.
Event #__:
A red-green color blind predator moves into the forest.
Eliminate three-quarters of your blue and yellow pieces.
Predation– Biotic Factor

3. Add an extra 3 resources (white pieces) for your yellow population.
Event #__:
A group of yellow birds finds a hidden patch of delicious and nutritious seeds.
Add an extra 3 resources (white pieces) for your yellow population.
Limiting Factor
Surplus Food – Biotic Factor

4. Event #__:
Smog (a form of airborne pollution) drifts into the forest causing a devastating lung cancer in the birds. However, the green birds have extra mucus that helps filter the smog and reduces their risk of cancer.
Eliminate one quarter of the green pieces and then eliminate half of the blue, yellow, and red pieces each.
Death Rate
Pollution (Anthropogenic) – Abiotic Factor

5. A plague strikes the forest. It sweeps across without discrimination.
Event #__:
A plague strikes the forest. It sweeps across without discrimination.
Eliminate one-third of all colors.
Death Rate
Disease – Biotic Factor (It could also be abiotic if it was viral).

6. A storm blows a flock of green birds into the forest.
Event #__:
A storm blows a flock of green birds into the forest.
Add twenty green pieces to the population.
Immigration
Weather – Abiotic Factor

7. Remove 10 of your blue pieces.
Event #__:
A fight over a suitable mate breaks out during mating season since females are limited. Some males are injured in the competition.
Remove 10 of your blue pieces.
Competition/Mates– Biotic Factor

8. A winter storm takes out the seeds that the red birds eat.
Event #__:
A winter storm takes out the seeds that the red birds eat.
Remove half of your white resource pieces for the red population.
Limiting Factor
Food – Biotic Factor
Weather – Abiotic Factor

9. Remove half of your yellow pieces.
Event #__:
Part of the forest floor where the yellow birds live catches fire in a lightning storm. Half of the yellow birds fly away in search of new homes.
Remove half of your yellow pieces.
Emigration
Fire – Abiotic Factor

10. Double the resources (white pieces) for the blue population.
Event #__:
Heavy rainfall increases the seed production of the large trees where the blue birds feed.
Double the resources (white pieces) for the blue population.
Limiting Factor
Food – Biotic Factor
Rain – Abiotic Factor

11. Event #__:
Yellow female birds experience reduced stress and are able to lay twice as many eggs as usual.
Add twice the normal number of yellow baby birds when they reproduce this round.
Reproduction Rate – Biotic Factor

12. No birds will be able to reproduce this round.
Event #__:
The forest is hit with bad weather and fierce storms. The birds are not able to fly out and find mates.
No birds will be able to reproduce this round.
Limiting Factor
Weather – Abiotic Factor
Reproduction Rate – Biotic Factor

13. Add 20 green birds to the existing population.
Event #__:
A neighboring forest is clear cut to make farms for humans. The destroyed forest was full of green birds.
Add 20 green birds to the existing population.
Immigration

14. Eliminate three-quarters of the red birds.
Event #__:
The red and green birds compete for space to live in the forest after a fungus takes over both populations normal nesting sites. The green birds have bigger beaks and are able to win out over the red birds who are left without shelter.
Eliminate three-quarters of the red birds.
Death Rate
Space for Nests – Abiotic Factor
Fungus – Biotic Factor