Population Distribution

How does population distribution affect the environment?

Why?
Alaska contains over 127 million acres of untouched forest land. It is the largest
state in the United States, yet with a population of nearly 700,000 people it has
the same total population as Austin, Texas. New Jersey is one of the smallest
states and home to a population of nearly 9 million, but almost 1.8 million of its
4.4 million total land acres are untouched natural woodland. What are the
reasons for the ways populations organize themselves, and what effect does this
organization have on the environment?

Model 1 Population Density and Distribution

= individual organism

1. Refer to Model 1.
a. What do the dots in the diagrams represent?
Organism living individually
b. What do the boxes in the diagrams represent? The area of the Habitat
organism live in.
2. Calculate the area of a single habitat. Total area of single habitat is
4Km
Population Distribution

3. Consider the arrangements of the dots in Model 1.

a. Describe the arrangements of the dots in habitat 3.
The habitats in habitat 3 are more likely organized and evenly
distributed.
b. Describe the arrangement of the dots in habitat 4.
In habitat 4 the dots are grouped together.
4. Fill in the table below by counting the number of individuals in each habitat
in Model 1 and then calculate the area available per individual.
Habitat
No.

Area (km2)

No. of
Individuals

No. of Individuals/Unit area

(Density)

31

7.75/Km

1/Km

12

3/Km

15

3.75/Km

5
4
7
5. Refer to the completed table above.

1.75/Km

a. Which habitat shows a high population density?

Habitat shows a high population density.
b. Which habitat shows the lowest population density?
Habitat 2 shows the less population.
6. Draw a vertical line through the middle of each of the boxes in model 1.
Label the left side a and the right side b on each box. Complete the table
below for each half of each habitat.
Habitat
No.
1
2

Area (km2)

No. of
Individuals

No. of Individuals/Unit area

(Density)

16

8/Km

15

7.5/Km

1.5/Km

0.5/Km

Population Distribution

3
4
5

3/Km

3/Km

11

5.5/Km

2/Km

2.5/Km

b 2
2
1/Km
7. For which of the habitats in Model 1 is population density very similar
between sides a and b?
Habitat 1 and 3
8. For which of the habitats in Model 1 is the population density quite different
between sides a and b? habitat 2, 4 and 5

POGIL Activities for High School Biology

9. Label each of the diagrams on Model 1 using the terms clumped
(clustered), random, and uniform (even) to describe the population
distribution within the boxes.
- habitat 1 and 3, uniform
-habitat 2 and 5, random
- habitat 4, clumped

10. Compare and contrast the terms population density and population
distribution.
-population density is considered to be the number of individuals per area and
population distribution is the organization of a group of individuals in a given
area.
11. Assuming the population size stays constant, propose at least two factors
that might cause a population to shift from a low density habitat to a high
density habitat?
-loss or lack of resources such as food and change in the environment.
12. Animals such as lions or wolves often show clumped distribution. Give a
reason why this would be advantageous for these animals.

Population Distribution

This type of animals actually mark their territories so that other hunters
or predators would not enter and take away their resources or food, they
hunt in groups and remain in their own territories.

13. Other than social reasons, list any other factors that may lead to clumped
distribution patterns in populations.
Factors that may lead to a clumped population would be because of the
availability of resources such as food and water are only found in that
place, another factor would be for protection from invaders or predators,
a clumped population would probably cause predators to go away or as a
whole defend their territory.

14. For each of the organisms listed below state the type of population
distribution and population density of their habitat. Give a reason for
each answer.
Organism

Tigers

Distribut
ion
Uniforme
d

Density

Reason

Low

Tigers hunt alone and more likely

mark their territories.

Clumped

high

Bisons are herding animals

Clumped

High

Random

High

uniform

high

Ants live in organized colonies, many

of them in a nest that is built
perfectly and food is stored.
Because of wind dispersal it is taken
to different areas and grow far apart
from each other.
They are evenly spaced to avoid
competition

Bison

Ants
Dandelion
s
Apple
trees in an
orchard

Model 2 Factors Affecting Density

Factor
Food supply
Rainfall

Density
Dependent
X

Density
Independent
X

Flood

Parasites

Acidity
Disease

X
X

Drought

Competition

Predation

15. Refer to Model 2.

a. Which factors are dependent on the population density? Food supply,
parasites, disease, competition, predation
b. Describe how the food supply would be affected by the population density.
The population would be competing for the same source of food found in
one specific area.
c. Describe how the levels or spread of disease would be affected by population
density.
In order for disease to be spread there has to be other carriers, so if
there was to be a large population disease would spread in a short time
probably causing a disease outbreak.
16. What do all the density-independent factors have in common?
According to some information gathered, density independent factors are
more likely to be environmental factors.
17. In your own words, define density dependent and density
independent by completing the sentences below.
Density-dependent factors are normally affect directly by the density of
individuals in an area.
Density-independent factors are normally unaffected by the number of
individuals in an area. An earthquake would not bather if the population is large
or small it would actually strike anyways, it is by nature.
18. Density-independent factors and density-dependent factors may be
interrelated. For example, a lack of rainfall that causes a drought will
impact the food supply in a habitat. Propose another pairing of a densityindependent factor and density-dependent factor that might occur.
Drought will cause limited resources and competition will rise. Another
factor will be that an earthquake will cause change in environment and once

Population Distribution

again limited resources and decrease in population depending on the

habitat.

POGIL Activities for High School Biology

Extension
Questions Read
This!
Allelopathy (allelon of each other and pathos to suffer) is the chemical
inhibition of one species by another. This phenomena is frequently found in
plants where one species of plant releases a chemical into the environment that
inhibits the growth of another species of plant. An example is the Creosote
bush, which releases terpenes into the surrounding soil to inhibit the growth of
other plants.
19. Describe what might be observed in a habitat that would indicate a plant
species is allelopathic?
-Since that type of species releases chemicals and discourages other living
plants to live near it we can conclude that when observing the type of
species we will see that they are widely spread evenly, found by itself, and
that species living near it are either weak or tend not to survive for long.
20. Considering what you know about population distribution, what type of
distribution is likely to arise as a result of allelopathy? Justify your answer
using complete sentences.
-because they are they are widely spread evenly they can be considered
uniformed, also if within the same species they tend to survive within their
own type of habitat and may result in a clumped population.

21. What would be some advantages of allelopathy to a plant?

Since the type of species are widely spread they tend to cover large
habitats in which other plants tend not to survive and there would be less
competition for resources, and the abundance of resources would cause its
population to increase.

22. What would be some disadvantages to the ecosystem where allelopathic

plants grow?
Since other species of plants cannot grow near it there would only be the
allelopathic plants growing at a uniformed process and later since they

Population Distribution

would be the only species living in the area they would begin growing at a
fast rate and create a clumped habitat.

23. Is it likely that a species that exhibits allelopathy would evolve over time?
Explain your answer using what you know about the mechanisms of
evolution.
Evolution is change in the heritable traits of biological populations over
successive generations. Allelopathy would eventually become the only
species living since there would be less competition and would probably
cause new species not to develop or exist.

24. The sorghum plant releases the allelotoxin sorgolene that disrupts
mitochondrial functions and inhibits photosynthesis. Brainstorm with your
group some positive applications for this allelotoxin.
- Effects of weeds on plants, it serves as growth regulators and natural
herbicides, to promote sustainable agriculture.

Population Distribution