What This Document Is
This document represents a student assignment – specifically, the third activity – completed for ESCI 1 (Environmental Science) at De Anza College in July 2016. It details predictions and responses to questions regarding a population simulation involving two plant species (A and B) and, later, an herbivore. The work is attributed to a student named Yim and was submitted to Professor Sanders.
Why This Document Matters
This assignment is valuable for students enrolled in ESCI 1 as it demonstrates an application of ecological modeling concepts. It showcases a student’s thought process when analyzing population dynamics, competition between species, and the impact of introducing a consumer (herbivore) into an ecosystem. It serves as a completed example for other students in the course.
Common Limitations or Challenges
This is a single student’s interpretation and response to the simulation. It does not represent a comprehensive or definitive analysis of the ecological principles involved. It is a specific instance of work, and other students may arrive at different conclusions.
What This Document Provides
The full document includes:
* Predictions about plant population sizes under different conditions (initial and final populations).
* Answers to five questions exploring assumptions about co-dominance, species dominance, the effect of herbivores, the role of decomposers, and a comparison between different modeling scenarios.
* A student’s reasoning behind their answers.
This preview *does not* include the full simulation data, detailed explanations of ecological concepts, or a grading rubric. It only provides a high-level overview of the assignment’s content.