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Students test theoretical predictions that increased competition for limited resources reduces brood size while increasing offspring size. The work involves designing and conducting the experiment, collecting and analyzing experimental data, and interpreting results through the lens of adaptive phenotypic plasticity and competition intensity.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/influence-of-population-density-on-offspring-number-and-size-in-burying-beetles-laboratory-exercise/595460/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/influence-of-population-density-on-offspring-number-and-size-in-burying-beetles-laboratory-exercise/595460.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Blitz","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-04","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":34},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What hypothesis does the laboratory exercise test about population density in burying beetles?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"It tests that higher population density strengthens competition for resources, leading to fewer offspring (declining brood size) and larger offspring (increasing offspring size).","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"Why is competition expected to change brood size and offspring size?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"With limited resources, stronger competition favors larger individuals that are more successful in monopolizing resources, creating a trade-off in offspring number versus offspring size.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What is involved in the “Preparation Before Class” phase?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Students collect burying beetles two months before the experiment using pitfall traps baited with decaying meat, using soil or leaf cover to reduce mortality and using sealed bait containers with small holes to release scent.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},595460,1792252140,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":34,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":29,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144,"preview_page_count":4},24464137899374,"https://us-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_3d24733baf745e90a7e4bdd5f77d97b2","Influence of Population Density on Offspring Number and Size  \nin Burying Beetles  \nClaudia M. Rauter  \nDepartment of Biology, University Nebraska at Omaha Allwine Hall 114, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68182-0040  \nE-mail: [crauter@unomaha.edu](crauter@unomaha.edu)  \nAbstract: This laboratory exercise investigates the influence of population density on offspring number and size in burying beetles. Students test the theoretical predictions that brood size declines and offspring size increases when competition over resources becomes stronger with increasing population density. Students design the experiment , collect and analyze the data, and discuss the results in the context of adaptive phenotypic plasticity.  \nKeywords: Population density, contests, brood size, offspring size, burying beetles  \nIntroduction  \nSome animals have only a few large offspring at a time, whereas others have many small offspring. This negative relationship between offspring number and size can be observed not only among species, but also within many species (Roff, 2002) . Negative relationships between offspring number and size are the consequence of mechanical constraints or limited resource availability (Roff, 1992, 2002). For example, body size of a female limits the number and size of offspring she can produce. For a given body size, a female can either produce many small or a few large offspring. When resources are limited, a trade-off between offspring number and offspring size may occur. How females solve this dilemma when resources are limited, maybe a function of the intensity of competition over these resources, especially when large individuals are more likely to prevail (Leips and Travis, 1999; Both, 2000; Creighton, 2005; Goubault et al., 2007) . If high population density results in more intense competition over resources and large individuals are more successful in monopolizing resources, females should have fewer, yet larger offspring (MestertonGibbons and Hardy, 2003) . This would ensure that their offspring have a higher probability of gaining access to resources necessary for reproduction. Reciprocally, if population density is low and thus competition over resources is weak, females should have many small offspring (Mesterton-Gibbons and Hardy, 2003) .  \nThis laboratory exercise tests the theoretical predictions that offspring number declines and offspring size increases when competition over resources becomes stronger with increasing population density.  \nBurying Beetles  \nIn the United States, there are 15 species of burying beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae: Nicrophorus sp. ; for distribution, natural history, and keys for identification of each of these species see: Anderson and Peck, 1985; Peck and Kaulbars, 1987; Ratcliffe, 1996). These species are widely distributed and occur in many habitat types (e.g. forests, prairie, mountains) . The most widespread species is N. marginatus which can be found in open fields, prairie, open woods, or other open habitats. Most burying beetle species are active at night and reproduce in spring or early summer.  \nBurying beetles use carrion as a food resource for their offspring (for reviews on burying beetle biology see: Ratcliffe, 1996; Eggert and Müller, 1997; Scott, 1998) . Carrion is a high quality, but rare, resource. Contests (i.e. fights) over carrion are common, especially when population density is high. The largest individual of either sex usually wins in a contest, thus gaining access to the carrion. Generally, a male and a female beetle bury the carrion. While burying the carrion, the beetles remove fur or feathers. As early as 12 hours after encountering the carrion, the female lays eggs in the surrounding soil. About two days later, the larvae hatch and crawl to the carrion. During the first two to three days on the carrion, the larvae are fed by the parents. Subsequently, the larvae feed by themselves from the carrion. The larvae of many species can survive and grow without bei","cbCaiab5nsfiPoew","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiab5nsfiPoew","pdf",329544,"English","# Introduction\n# Burying Beetles\n# Materials and Methods\n## Preparation Before Class","[{\"question\":\"What hypothesis does the laboratory exercise test about population density in burying beetles?\",\"answer\":\"It tests that higher population density strengthens competition for resources, leading to fewer offspring (declining brood size) and larger offspring (increasing offspring size).\"},{\"question\":\"Why is competition expected to change brood size and offspring size?\",\"answer\":\"With limited resources, stronger competition favors larger individuals that are more successful in monopolizing resources, creating a trade-off in offspring number versus offspring size.\"},{\"question\":\"What is involved in the “Preparation Before Class” phase?\",\"answer\":\"Students collect burying beetles two months before the experiment using pitfall traps baited with decaying meat, using soil or leaf cover to reduce mortality and using sealed bait containers with small holes to release scent.\"}]","Influence of Population Density on Offspring Number and Size in Burying Beetles - Laboratory Exercise | PDF",1792081185,15]