Question

In a population biology lab, rats are kept together in an artificial colony. Since the scientists wanted to do a long-term experiment, they decided the rats should be able to breed like they do in the natural environment. In their natural habitat, up to 1000 rats form one colony. The scientists used this as the starting population for rats. Very soon the rats started to breed and grow in number at an average rate of P. When two years had passed, scientists, though excited about their results, were challenged with maintaining the rat colony that had grown four times. The overall population of rats was now 2828P. If this experiment runs for 10 years before the scientists can get a clear picture, how many rats will have to manage in the lab?​

Answer 1

Rats and mice used in aging studies often live out their natural lives, but most lab rodents are terminated at the end of a study. Some are killed via lethal injection or decapitated with strict guidelines to reduce pain and suffering, but most often, they are suffocated in cages with carbon dioxide.