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Pumpkin Populations, and Limiting Factors:
Test Your Understanding
(student handout continued)
Name: Class: Date:
9. If your pumpkin and it's progeny achieved 100% fertility rate, would this kind of growth be sustainable
indefinitely?
Indefinite, unlimited, exponential population growth is NOT possible in nature.
10. What are some possible limiting factors preventing this from being achieved?
Space, water, soil nutrients, access to light, herbivore predators, disease, weather anomalies,
human disturbance
11. Graph your pumpkins population estimates from generations 1 through 4 on the following grid:
* Include blank graph grid here.
12. What kind of graph does your growth curve represent, arithmetic or exponential?
Exponential
13. Based on your pumpkin's fertility rate, would you classify it as an r-strategist or a k-strategist?
r-strategist
*Carefully carve your pumpkin into a Jack-O-Lantern to add to the class room's Halloween décor!
