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Instructions for Exploring the Conservation Biology
Practice Exercises
This chapter of 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 10 Practice Exercise: Harvest Models
Overexploitation, which is the overharvesting of populations, is one of the greatest contributors to population decay and species extinction. In order to properly manage species, conservation biologists and natural resource managers must be able to identify how many individuals can be harvested (e.g., removed, killed) from a population without hindering the potential for that population to reproduce and maintain its future size. Use the tutorial videos and spreadsheet exercises to learn how to construct harvest models that predict the maximum sustainable yield of a population, and how to add stochasticity (random variation) to those models to incorporate more realism. In the bonus video you can apply what you’ve learned to a real fisheries case study.
NOTE: The spreadsheets in this Practice Exercise are saved as “macro-enabled” files (with an .xlsm suffix). When you open such files, you may receive a security warning stating that “Macros have been disabled.” If you receive this warning, you will need to click on the “Enable Content” button to use the spreadsheet. This will allow the spreadsheet to run the macro built into the spreadsheet.
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 10 Video Topics: Harvest Models
Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)
Logistical growth population models
Harvest Models
- Fixed quota harvest model
- Fixed effort harvest model
- Adding stochasticity to a harvest model
Bonus Video
Estimating population characteristics (R and K) and MSY based on a fisheries case study.
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.
Some 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.