Description

This is an updated version of an existing lab. It includes some theoretical background information and the lab which simulates MacArthur & Wilson's 1963 Island Biogeography Equilibrium paper. Students can run virtual experiments manipulating the following: island size, distance from mainland, habitat type, and species types (e.g. birds, arthropods, etc.).

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Hi Dr. Jones, my students in a Natural Sciences capstone course have been using the GO-Labz Island Biogeography simulation tool for the past few years. They design and run a research project which results in them writing a research report article that we publish in an online journal.  

I can’t thank you enough for all the time and effort that must have gone into creating this simulation!

This term for the first time I have been getting some questions about settings on the simulation that will not remain set.

Specifically, the Migration and Mortality rates. Could you check these?

Most of my students experiments involve changing the island distance from the mainland or the island diameter while monitoring a specific taxon total population.

I tell them that these two factors Migration and Mortality should remain constant so they do not have multiple variables interacting at one time.

Could you help with this?  Any suggestions or ideas you can supply would be great! Thanks Jean

 

Jean M. Taylor, PhD

Excelsior College Natural Sciences

jtaylor2@excelsior.edu