Body Weight vs. Home Range Size

The size of an animal's home range is related to its body size (how much the animal weighs). In the following table, the ranges of body weight and home range size of several species of carnivores are listed. Using a statistical package or a graphing calculator make two scatterplots (one for males and one for females) with body weight as the independent variable and home range size as the dependent variable.

For each scatterplot, fit a line to the data. Interpret the R² values for each line.

Use the relationship between body weight and home range size to estimate the home range size of a female mink (567 g), male mink (1362 g), female bobcat (7 kg), male bobcat (16 kg), female red wolf (18 kg), male red wolf (32 kg), female black bear (90 kg), and male black bear (214 kg). After you have completed your calculations, use the library or the Internet (or your friendly neighborhood mammalogist) to find the home range size reported in the scientific literature for each of these animals. If your results differ markedly from those reported, discuss reasons that may have led to these differences.

Body Weight vs. Home Range Size