Chapter 1 Practice Exercise Instructions

Instructions for Exploring the Conservation Biology Practice Exercises

This chapter in the Second Edition of Conservation Biology concludes with a Practice Exercise, which provides students the opportunity to learn and apply research skills and concepts related to the chapter content.

Chapter 1 Practice Exercise: Modelling Population Growth

Population models are a fundamental tool that conservation biologists use to protect species. Among other things, these models tell us if a population is increasing or decreasing, and whether a population is large enough to survive mortality events like harvesting, poaching, or natural disasters. In this practice exercise, you will watch a set of tutorial videos and complete spreadsheets that walk you through the basics of exponential and logistic population growth models, using growth of the human population as an example.

1. Begin with the Videos

Each Practice Exercise begins with videos from author James D. Murdoch that 1) introduce the Practice Exercise and concepts involved; 2) explore and explain the concepts in depth; and 3) demonstrate tools used in the practical study of those concepts.

For each Chapter Practice Exercise, the student should watch these videos first!

Chapter 1 – Video Topics: Population Growth Models

  • Exponential population growth model
    • Discrete time model
    • Continuous time model
  • Logistic population growth model
    • Discrete time model
    • Continuous time model
  • Deterministic model
  • Stochastic model
    • Normal distribution
    • Standard deviation
    • Drawing a value from a distribution

Download this spreadsheet, and use it as you follow along with the videos.

You can check your work using this completed spreadsheet.

2. Examine the Questions

Each Practice Exercise features a series of questions, which guide students through key questions and concepts.

Many questions may ask you to utilize different parts of the spreadsheet you used in the videos. They also provide a space to upload completed spreadsheets and to record any other responses or information requested.

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