Lab Write-Up 6
Luis Romero
Bio 112
Lab Section #17
Professor: Monica Derderian
1. Characterize (describe in 2-3 sentences) trends in TOTAL survivorship (of people
living in MA) in 1940 vs 1990. Formulate a hypothesis that explains these trends.
Chart Title
20
15
10
5
0
0-4 5-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84 Over
85
Year 1940 Year 1990
- The cohort starting from "65-74" and ending in cohort "over 85" in 1990 had a much higher
survivorship than in 1940, indicating that they had a longer life span. A reasonable hypothesis
would be that life expectancy has increased because of advancements in healthcare and medical
research, and due to a decline in the risks associated with a healthy lifestyle that contribute to
morbidity and disability.
2. Compare and contrast MALE vs FEMALE survivorship (or people living in MA) in
1950 vs 2000. In 2-3 sentence describe the similarities/differences and create a hypothesis
that explains your observation(s). (4pts)
Chart Title
10
8
6
4
2
0
0-4 5-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84 Over
85
Male 1950 Female 1950
Male 2000 Female 2000
-One example of a comparison would be the similar survivability rates between men and women
in each cohort in 2000. Males in 1950 at cohorts 74-84 and 85+ experienced a greater decline in
survivorship than females; this could be attributed to a shortage of medicine as cancer was one of
the main causes of death at the time.
3. The “Baby Boom” Generation comprises people who were born between 1946-1964. Plot
survivorship for the decades 1950 to 2010 and clearly label where on the graph the Baby
Boomer generation data is (i.e. which age cohort are they in during each decade? Or,
approximately how old were most Baby Boomers in each of the decades on your graph).
Describe your observation(s) in 2-3 sentences. (4pts)
Chart Title
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20
15
10
0
0-4 5-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84 Over 85
Year 1950 Year 1960 Year 1970 Year 1980
Year 1990 Year 2000 Year 2010
-In the graph above the "Baby Boom" Generation is marked by the orange data points. These
data points that are marked orange are always higher when compared to each census year of the
rest of the data. One observation is that baby boomers never went under the 10thpercentile and
never over the 20thpercentile. Another observation is that as the years went on the baby boom
generation would decrease in the population. There was a slight increase in the population in the
years 1971, 1981, 1991, 1996, and 2001. The last observation is that baby boomers are very
important to our population because they are what is carrying us through the years.
4. Total population size steadily increased in MA from 1940--‐2010, but WHEN did %
Population Growth decrease? Formulate a hypothesis to explain WHY this trend is
observed. (4pts)
-Percent change had a strong decrease between 1910-1940 this can be due to the fact that the
Spanish influenza killed many people. There was also a decrease from 1970-1980 this can be due
to the fact that people moved to the suburbs for better schooling and areas with less crime.
Moreover, this means that between 1910 and 1940, there was a significant drop in the percentage
change. This could be attributable to the fact that a large number of people perished from the
Spanish influenza. From 1970 to 1980, there was also a decline, which may have been
attributable to the fact that people moved to the suburbs in search of higher quality educational
opportunities and environments with lower rates of criminal activity.
Chart Title
7000000 25
6000000
20
5000000
4000000 15
3000000 10
2000000
5
1000000
0 0
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Population Size % Change
5. What results might immigration and emigration have on the results that you’ve collected
today? (2pts)
- Immigration and emigration are two processes that affect evolution. Emigration involves
leaving a population, while immigration involves entering a population. When a person or group
leaves and enters a population, they are changing the gene pool by altering the allele frequency.
For example, when an emigrant leaves the U.S. and reproduces in Scotland, they both change
their original gene pool and introduce new genes through gene flow.
6. What shifts in survivorship and mortality curves would you expect if pollution--‐related
diseases increase? Think about which cohorts may be most affected. (2pts)
- Pollution-related diseases are increasing as the population ages, leading to an increase in the
mortality rate and a decrease in the survivorship rate. Examples of these diseases include air
pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, and soil pollution. Air pollution can cause asthma,
bronchitis, and emphysema, while water pollution can cause gastrointestinal issues. Soil
pollution can cause rashes, itching, and irritation.
Work Cited
• Capello, F., & Gaddi, A. V. (Eds.). (2018). Clinical handbook of air pollution-related
diseases. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
