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    NaturalSelectionSE 1

    Uploaded by

    Ambrielle White
    This document introduces a simulation about natural selection of peppered moths. It describes how the coloration of peppered moths, which exists in both light and dark morphs, can provide camouflage from bird predators depending on the color of tree bark. Before the Industrial Revolution, most tree bark was light in color, favoring light-colored moths. During the Industrial Revolution, air pollution darkened tree bark, favoring dark-colored moths through increased survival and reproduction. The simulation allows playing the role of a bird preying on moths to observe how moth populations change over generations on light and dark trees through natural selection.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    NaturalSelectionSE 1

    Uploaded by

    Ambrielle White
    101 views4 pages
    This document introduces a simulation about natural selection of peppered moths. It describes how the coloration of peppered moths, which exists in both light and dark morphs, can provide camouflage from bird predators depending on the color of tree bark. Before the Industrial Revolution, most tree bark was light in color, favoring light-colored moths. During the Industrial Revolution, air pollution darkened tree bark, favoring dark-colored moths through increased survival and reproduction. The simulation allows playing the role of a bird preying on moths to observe how moth populations change over generations on light and dark trees through natural selection.

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    NaturalSelectionSE_1

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    This document introduces a simulation about natural selection of peppered moths. It describes how the coloration of peppered moths, which exists in both light and dark morphs, can provide camouflage from bird predators depending on the color of tree bark. Before the Industrial Revolution, most tree bark was light in color, favoring light-colored moths. During the Industrial Revolution, air pollution darkened tree bark, favoring dark-colored moths through increased survival and reproduction. The simulation allows playing the role of a bird preying on moths to observe how moth populations change over generations on light and dark trees through natural selection.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    101 views4 pages

    NaturalSelectionSE 1

    Uploaded by

    Ambrielle White
    This document introduces a simulation about natural selection of peppered moths. It describes how the coloration of peppered moths, which exists in both light and dark morphs, can provide camouflage from bird predators depending on the color of tree bark. Before the Industrial Revolution, most tree bark was light in color, favoring light-colored moths. During the Industrial Revolution, air pollution darkened tree bark, favoring dark-colored moths through increased survival and reproduction. The simulation allows playing the role of a bird preying on moths to observe how moth populations change over generations on light and dark trees through natural selection.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 4

    Student Exploration: Natural Selection

    Vocabulary: biological evolution, camouflage, Industrial Revolution, lichen, morph, natural


    selection, peppered moth

    Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)

    The peppered moth (Biston betularia) is a common moth


    found in Europe, Asia, and North America. It is commonly
    found in two forms, or morphs: a dark morph and a light,
    speckled morph. Birds are a frequent predator of the
    peppered moth.

    1. Which morph do you think would be easier to see on a

    dark tree trunk?

    2. Which morph do you think would be easier to see on a

    light tree trunk?

    Gizmo Warm-up
    The Natural Selection Gizmo allows you to play the role of a
    bird feeding on peppered moths. The initial population of 40
    moths is scattered over 20 tree trunks. Click on moths to
    capture them. Click the Next tree button (or the spacebar
    on your keyboard) to advance to the next tree.

    1. Check that LIGHT TREES is selected. Click Play ( ),


    and hunt moths for one year.

    A. How many dark moths did you capture?

    B. How many light moths did you capture? How many moths can you find?

    C. Camouflage is coloring or patterns that help an organism to blend in with the

    background. Which type of moth is better camouflaged on light bark?

    2. If a forest contained mostly light-colored trees, which type of moth would you expect to be

    most common?

    2019
    Get the Gizmo ready:
    Activity A:
     Click Reset ( ).
    Light trees
     Check that the LIGHT TREES tab is selected.

    Introduction: Before the 19th century in England, the air was very clean. The bark on trees was
    usually light in color. Abundant lichens growing on tree trunks also lightened their appearance.

    Question: How does the color of a peppered moth affect survival?

    1. Predict: Over time, what will to happen to the populations of light and dark moths on light

    trees?

    2. Experiment: Click Play and hunt peppered moths on light tree trunks for five years. In each
    year, try to capture as many moths as you can. Note: You can use the spacebar on your
    keyboard to quickly advance to the next tree.

    After 5 years, select the TABLE tab and record the percentages of each moth type. (Note:
    The table shows current populations of each moth, not the number of captured moths.)

    Year Dark moths Light moths


    0
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5

    3. Analyze: What do your results show?

    4. Apply: Which type of moth do you think was more common before the 19th century, when

    most trees were light in color?

    2019
    Get the Gizmo ready:
    Activity B:
     Click Reset.
    Dark trees
     Select the DARK TREES tab.

    Introduction: The 19th century was the time of the Industrial Revolution in England. Most of
    the new industries used coal for energy, and the air was polluted with black soot. In forests near
    factories, the soot coated trees and killed lichens. As a result, tree trunks became darker.

    Question: How did air pollution affect moth populations?

    1. Predict: Over time, what will to happen to the populations of light and dark moths on dark

    trees?

    2. Experiment: Click Play and hunt peppered moths on dark tree trunks for five years. In each
    year, try to capture as many moths as you can.

    When you are done, select the TABLE tab and record the percentages of each moth type.

    Year Dark moths Light moths


    0
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5

    3. Analyze: What do your results show?

    4. Apply: Which type of moth do you think was more common during the 19th century?
    Why?

    5. Draw conclusions: Natural selection is the process by which favorable traits tend to
    increase in frequency over time. How does this experiment illustrate natural selection?

    6. Think and discuss: Did the changes you observed in the moth populations result from
    individual moths changing colors Or did they occur because the best-hidden moths survived
    and reproduced, passing on their colors to their offspring? Explain your answer.

    2019
    2019

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