Incorporating Human-Environment Interactions (HEI) into an introductory Predator-Prey Lab

These labs are designed to deepen the students' understanding of species interactions, in this particular case, predator/prey interactions, competition, and of evolution. The handouts for both Part 1 and Part 2 introduce the topic and the initial set up questions to get the students engaged in the topic and prepared for the simulation. The simulation is performed by the students, as they behave like one of three foragers/predators and attempt to consume their prey, and moderated by the instructor, who ensures the rules are followed and keeps time. Due to the differences in forager/predator eating apparatus and the three different types of prey, the students will experience the constraints of these interactions. Through multiple rounds of this simulation, students will also see the impact predator/prey interactions have on the evolution of the two types of population, due to differences in prey and forager/predator survivorship and recruitment. In Part 2, students will reflect on how humans have created interfering structures (physical or behavioral) that impact the predator/prey interactions. Students will pick one such interference to simulate, and the lab will follow the same structure as Part 1. At the end of Part 2 students will then reflect on how the predator/prey interactions were impacted by human interference.