WELCOME to PopEcoLab



This program simulates the dynamics of population growth for two populations of sparrows, and a population of hawks as predators of sparrows. In this laboratory, you will perform simulations of experiments to investigate a variety of topics in population ecology including the relationships between competing species, exponential growth, resource-limited growth, population extinction, population cycles, competitive exclusion, resource partitioning and coexistence, predator-prey cycles, and predator-mediated coexistence.

Objectives & Goals

The purpose of this laboratory is to:

Before You Begin: Prerequisites

Before beginning PopEcoLab you should be familiar with the following concepts:


This lab is intended for use with specific questions or assignments. Your instructor may have provided separate assignments for you; if not, you should go to the Assignments provided here.