1. How many seeds were in your initial pepper? This represents the first generation.

My initial pepper had 24 seeds, representing my first generation of 24 plants.

2. How many plants were alive in your pepper population after only 5 generations?
After 5 generations my pepper population grew to 9,375,000.
3. Describe your graph.
The graph that my population produced is quite eye opening. It demonstrates just how quickly a population can grow
if it is unchecked, with the line representing my population climbing at a 60 angle.

4. Make a list of five environmental factors that might limit natural or wild populations (not necessarily
pepper plant or human populations).
(1) Severe storms can have a large impact on a natural or wild population. Inclement or severe weather can decimate
crops and natural plantation which could have a negative impact not only on the vegetation, but also the
organisms within an environment which depend on that particular vegetation.
(2) Pollution may also have a negative impact on a wild population, not only contaminating environments and
habitats of organisms, but even posing health risks to the organisms themselves.
(3) Global warming can affect not only the habitat of polar bears and other arctic organisms by causing glaciers to
melt at an alarming rate; it can also negatively affect the worlds climates by increasing greenhouse gases. An
increase in greenhouse gases could cause climate temperatures across the globe to increase which could pose
harmful risks to many different ecosystems.
(4) Introducing non-native species into any new ecosystem could be very harmful. For example, perch were
introduced into Fish Lake, in Utah, and there population has sky rocketed and threatens food sources and the
habitat of the native fish.
(5) Drought can wreak havoc on an environment. In the event of a drought it is not just the human populations that
will feel the effects, but also wildlife, vegetation, and ecosystems.
5. If a population were subjected to some of these environmental factors for a considerable length of time,
would you expect to see any changes in the population? Based on the information provided above, explain
your answer. BE SPECIFIC which factors would cause which changes?
(1) If a population were subjected to harsh weather for any length of time it would likely decrease. Tornados,
hurricanes, tsunamis, and floods kill people and other living organisms outright. Those left alive after the storm
must then deal with the likely harsh conditions of the aftermath such as lack of shelter, food, and healthcare in the
case of injury. Extreme weather can devastate both the populations of organisms and their environments.
(2) If a population of organisms were subjected to severe pollution for an extended length of time death and disease
could run rampant. For example, if a water source were severely contaminated a whole population could
potentially die, or suffer from mutations and diseases that their immune systems had not evolved to contend with
considering the particular environment in which they evolved in.
(3) Global warming is causing glaciers to melt at extreme rates, greatly reducing the natural habitat of polar bears.
Polar bears not only live on the glaciers but also use the ice as part of their methods for hunting seals. If the ice
continues to melt, the habitat of the polar bears and seals will continue to decrease, likely causing their
populations to decrease as well.
(4) Non native species can severely threaten an existing ecosystem. If a fast growing ground cover were introduced
into an ecosystem and it grew much faster that the native plants, it is likely that the native plants would soon be
overgrown and overrun by this new species. By growing faster than any surrounding vegetation, this new species
of plant could potentially choke out the native species. A decline in the population of the native species of plant
would also affect the organisms that depend on that species for food or shelter, possibly causing a chain reaction
in the decline of many different organisms.
(5) In a drought plant life and wildlife may die due to a lack of water. If a forest suffered with drought the plant life
would begin to die, organisms that depend on the plantation would decline, and it could continue on like this in a
chain reaction causing a negative effect on multiple populations over an extended period of time.