Question

table two
owl #\tnumber of mice eaten
\tday 1\tday 2\tday 3\tday 4\tday 5\tday 6\tday 7\tday 8\tday 9\tday 10
1 kevin\t1\t2\t2\t4\t2\t1\t0\t0\t\t0
2 brian\t4\t0\t2\t1\t2\t1\t9\t0\t\t
3 roberto\t2\t0\t3\t2\t3\t0\t\t\t\t
4 zander\t1\t4\t5\t4\t2\t0\t0\t\t\t
total mice left\t52\t46\t39\t28\t19\t17\t15\t13\t9\t6
total owls left\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
investigation 2 questions:

1. describe the \success\ of the owl population (i.e. how many survived, how long did it take for any to die, etc.)
2. describe the \success\ of the mouse population.
3. how did the dry conditions affect the hunting success of the owls as compared with investigation 1. (use data to compare).
4. how did the dry conditions affect the success of the mouse population as compared with investigation 1. (use data to compare).
5. what do you think would happen if the drought-like conditions had killed 50% of the mice?
6. is this an example of a density dependent or independent factor? explain

Explanation:

Question 1: Describe the "success" of the owl population (i.e. how many survived, how long did it take for any to die, etc.)

To determine owl population success, we analyze the "Total owls left" (though data here is incomplete, we use "Number of mice eaten" and "Total Mice left" trends). From the table, owl entries show some owls (like Kevin, Brian, Roberto, Zander) have crossed-out days, implying deaths. By Day 7 - 10, many owl rows have strikes, suggesting most owls died by later days (e.g., Day 7+). Initially, 4 owls (Owl #1 - 4) existed. As days progress, fewer owls hunt (strikes in their rows), so survival decreases over time—some die by Day 7, most by Day 10.

Mouse success is measured by "Total Mice left" (higher = better survival). The "Total Mice left" column shows a steady decline: Day 1: ~52, Day 2: 46, Day 3: 39, Day 4: 28, Day 5: 19, Day 6: 17, Day 7: 15, Day 8: 13, Day 9: 9, Day 10: 6. While the population shrinks, it persists (mice remain daily), so survival is gradual but continuous—mice are hunted, but the population doesn’t vanish immediately, showing some resilience (though declining).

(Assuming Investigation 1 had non - dry conditions with more mice or easier hunting.) In Table Two (dry conditions), "Total Mice left" declines, but owl hunting (mice eaten per owl) has many crossed - out days (owls dying). If Investigation 1 had more owls surviving longer or more mice eaten, dry conditions here likely reduced owl hunting success: fewer owls survived to hunt (strikes in rows), so total mice eaten per day (implied by "Total Mice left" decline rate) might be slower, or owls died earlier, limiting their hunting duration. For example, if in Investigation 1 owls survived 10 days, here most die by Day 7, so hunting success (mice caught per owl - day) is lower.

Answer:

The owl population’s “success” (survival) declines over time. Initially, 4 owls (Owl #1–4) hunted. By later days (e.g., Day 7–10), most owl rows have strikes (indicating death), so few survived long. Some owls died by Day 7, and likely most perished by Day 10, as their hunting (mice eaten) stops (rows are crossed out).

Question 2: Describe the "success" of the mouse population.