Population Genetics and Conservation

This activity is intended for introductory biology labs (it was originally created for LIfe102). This lab covers the Hardy-Weinberg equations by asking students to use them to calculate whether a population of isopods in a terrarium are at equilibrium. The main activity of the lab is a game called Habitat that allows students to model how various anthropogenic impacts (ex. habitat loss, invasive species introduction, hunting, etc.) impact the allele frequencies and survival of a population of hypothetical organisms. Materials for this lab include rules for the game, images of materials used to make game pieces, and cards to use for the game.