Population Dynamics and the Logistics Growth Model: an exploration using a Virtual Laboratory

Abstract

Population ecology is a fundamental area of Biology that seeks to understand how populations of organisms evolve and interact with their environment. This article aims to present the Virtual Biology Lab environment to assist in the teaching and learning process of population growth content. With this tool, it is possible to study population ecology through simulations with biologically realistic data that help to understand how different parameters affect population dynamics in a simulated environment. Exploratory research was used with a bibliographic review on websites, books and articles to familiarize ourselves with the tool covered in this work. Furthermore, we brought two real-world examples involving the rabbit and fish population. It is possible to highlight that the interactivity in the parameters and the immediate return of data can enable teachers and students to explore different situations during the study of population ecology and the logistical growth model.