Problem Set #12: Life Tables

Using the life table you developed during the in-class exercise, complete the following exercises:

A.  Calculating Population "Growth" Rates

1. Calculate population growth rates: R₀, lamba, and r (use the formulas from the lab notes). (3 points)

2. Is the population increasing, decreasing, or stationary? How can you tell?  (2 points)

B.  Survival and Mortality

1. Plot both the survivorship (as Fig. 1) and mortality (as Fig. 2) curves for this population. Do these graphs tell you anything that might help you manage this population?  (8 points)

2. Calculate the finite survival rate for the period from birth to 3-years of age (i.e., age classes 0 to 3). Show the equation you used.  Hint: multiply S₀, S₁, and S₂. (1 point)

C.  Stable Age Distribution

1. Calculate the stable age distribution (C_x).  Include it as a column in your life table.  (2 points)

2. Plot the stable age distribution as a histogram (as Fig 3.).  (4 points)

Please turn in the following (due next week):

• Responses to the 6 items above.  Figures should be in JWM format and contain all necessary information to be able to stand alone (i.e., caption, axis labels, etc.).  Figure legends should be below the figure.

• A single page printout of your entire life table with column labels.  (1 point)

Revised: 08 November 2011