https://virtualbiologylab.org/behavioral-ecology/
Lab Overview
This lab uses the Virtual Biology Lab Behavioral Ecology simulation to explore animal vigilance behavior and how it changes in response to environmental factors, such as group size and predator presence. By adjusting variables in the simulation, students can investigate how animals balance vigilance and foraging and understand the evolutionary benefits of these behaviors.
Learning Objectives
Aligned with the Victorian Curriculum, students will:
- VCSSU121: Explore how environmental factors influence animal behavior and contribute to survival and reproductive success.
- VCSSU122: Describe how behavioral adaptations aid in the survival and reproduction of organisms within ecosystems.
By the end of this lab, students should be able to:
- Explain the concept of vigilance in animals and its role in survival.
- Describe how group size and predation risk impact an animal’s vigilance levels.
- Analyze how animals balance vigilance with other survival behaviors, like foraging.
ACARA Digital Literacy Capabilities
- Collect and collate data: Gathering behavioural data from the ecology simulation.
- Communicate: Presenting findings on animal behaviour using digital formats.
Lab Instructions
- Access the Simulation: Virtual Biology Lab Behavioral Ecology Simulation.
- Observe Baseline Behavior:
- Start with a small group of animals and a low predator presence. Record observations on how often animals engage in vigilance versus foraging.
- Investigate Group Size:
- Increase the group size and observe changes in individual vigilance levels. Discuss how larger groups may provide increased safety and reduce the need for individual vigilance.
- Explore Predator Risk:
- Increase predator presence and note how animals adjust their vigilance behavior. Record the trade-offs between vigilance and foraging as predation risk rises.
Assessment Questions
- Define vigilance and explain why it is an important survival behavior.
- How does being part of a larger group influence an animal’s vigilance behavior?
- Describe how predator presence affects the balance between vigilance and foraging.
- Provide a real-life example of an animal that uses vigilance to survive and explain how it balances this behavior with other needs.
Teacher Notes
Integrating with Lessons:
- This lab is ideal for units on animal behavior, ecology, and evolutionary biology, illustrating survival strategies and adaptive behaviors.
- Encourage students to relate vigilance behaviors observed in the simulation to real-life animals, like birds or herd animals, that use similar strategies.
Common Misconceptions:
- Students may think animals are always vigilant; clarify that vigilance is a flexible behavior influenced by context, such as group size and risk level.
- Emphasize that animals face trade-offs between survival and other needs, such as foraging or mating.
Extension Activities:
- Challenge students to investigate how environmental changes (e.g., reduced predator populations) might affect vigilance behavior over time.
- Have students design an experiment within the simulation to explore additional variables, such as varying food availability and its impact on vigilance.
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