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Evolution and Natural Selection

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29 views6 pages

Evolution and Natural Selection

Uploaded by

Melva Guerra
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Evolution and Natural Selection

The process of biological evolution can be accurately defined as “descent with modification.”
This definition includes microevolution (changes in allele frequency of a population over time)
and macroevolution (the descent of different species from a shared common ancestor over many
generations). Evolution relies on four processes that function as the basic mechanisms of
evolutionary change:

1. Mutation. Mutations are the ultimate source of variation in a population, resulting in


changes in the genetic makeup of an individual.
2. Migration. The allele frequency of a population can change if members of an existing
population leave, or new members join.
3. Genetic Drift. Genetic drift happens when allele frequencies change due to purely
random factors. For example, if a person accidentally stepped on a population of beetles
and randomly killed all the brown beetles in the population, the allele frequency of the
population would certainly change, but the cause of the change is completely random.
This is an example of genetic drift. It is most significant in small populations.
4. Natural Selection. Charles Darwin based his theory of natural selection as the driving
force for evolution from the following observations:
1. Reproduction. Species reproduce in excess of the numbers that can survive.
2. Variation. All sexually reproducing species vary in characteristics.
3. Heredity. Traits can be passed from one generation to the next.
4. Fitness. Those individuals with hereditary characteristics that have survival value,
i.e., improved fitness, are more likely to survive and reproduce compared with
less fit individuals. Be careful here, because the word “fitness” does not refer to
physical fitness or healthiness! This word is being used in a very specific way to
mean “successful reproduction.” Fit individuals make more babies. This is
not necessarily true of our common use of the word!

Put Darwin’s observations together and you get natural selection, a process favoring
survival and reproduction of the most fit individuals in a population. Natural selection
can be viewed as differential reproduction. Individuals with favorable characteristics
have a competitive advantage and are more likely to pass their genes on to the next
generation.

If these four processes are coupled with reproductive isolation, then speciation (the formation of
a new species) can occur. Reproductive isolation occurs by some mechanism that can isolate
diverging populations so as to prevent interbreeding. Given sufficient time, a population that is
isolated from the original population can diverge physically and/or behaviorally to the point
where it is a distinct species. There is a variety of isolating mechanisms that can prevent gene
flow from occurring. One example is the presence of geographical barriers such as mountain
ranges or islands that prevent gene flow between separated populations.

Part 1: Natural Selection Exercise—Generation 1


This exercise illustrates the effect of natural selection on populations of predators and prey.
Students, in groups of four, will represent predators, each with a different adaptation for
capturing their prey. The prey will consist of different species represented by different colored
beans.

Procedure

1. Each team of 4 students will count out exactly 100 dried beans of each color.
2. Thoroughly mix the beans and spread them evenly over your “habitat.” Your habitat
depends on the weather.
1. If the weather is poor, it is dark outside, or your instructor would rather, your
habitat will be a tray of sediment in the classroom.
2. If the weather is lovely, or your instructor is adventurous, you will do this lab
outside. Each team will mark off a 1m × 1m “habitat” in the grass using yarn, a
meter stick, and wood stakes.
3. All “prey” are confined to the habitat, wherever it is!
3. Each student (predator) will have a different feeding apparatus: A fork, spoon, knife or
forceps.
4. When everyone is ready, predators will spend 60 seconds capturing prey with their
devices and depositing them into a cup while obeying the following rules:
1. Predators must only use their capture device to capture prey.
2. Predators may not scoop prey up with their cup.
3. If predators “eat” too much of the environment, they will become constipated and
DIE.
5. Each predator determines the number of prey captured and records results in Data
Sheet: Generation 1.
6. Calculate and fill in the remaining statistics on the data sheet (see example below).

Data Sheet: Generation 1

Prey Type Black bean Pinto bean Red bean White bean Total % Captured
Population Size 100 100 100 100 400 —
Forceps
Spoon
Fork
Knife
Prey Type Black bean Pinto bean Red bean White bean Total % Captured
Total Kills
# Survived
% Survived
% Total Population

Example of Data Collection and Analysis for Generation 1

Prey Type Black bean Pinto bean Red bean White bean Total % Captured
Population Size 100 100 100 100 400 —
Forceps 8 15 22 12 57 14%
Spoon 14 29 21 18 82 21%
Fork 10 20 14 19 63 15%
Knife 15 30 20 10 75 19%
Prey Type Black bean Pinto bean Red bean White bean Total % Captured
Total Kills 47[1] 94 77 59 — —
# of This Bean
53[2] 6 23 41 123[3] —
That Survived
% of This Bean
53%[4] 6% 23% 41% — —
That Survived
% Total Population 43%[5] 5% 19% 3% — —

# of This Bean That Survived = population size – total kills

% of This Bean That Survived = (# survived/population size) x 100

% Total Population = (# survived/total survived) x 100

Part 2: Natural Selection Exercise—Generation 2


The predator with the lowest capture percentage will go “extinct” and will not participate in the
next exercise. The predator with the highest capture percentage will reproduce itself and the
“offspring” will participate in the next exercise. The surviving prey will also survive and
reproduce.

Procedure

1. The person with the lowest capture percentage (as calculated in the previous exercise)
will “die” and turn in their feeding device.
2. The person with the highest capture percentage will reproduce by having the “dead”
person use their same feeding device in the next round.
1. If the Fork won the first round and the Spoon lost, then in the second round, there
will be two Forks and zero Spoons. There will also be one Knife and one pair of
Forceps.
3. Now the surviving prey will reproduce and double.
1. If there are 40 surviving black beans, you will add another 40 black beans to the
habitat, so there are a total of 80 black beans in the habitat for round 2.
4. Repeat the procedure you carried out in Part 1. Collect data for Generation 2.

Data Sheet: Generation 2

Prey Type Black bean Pinto bean Red bean White bean Total % Captured
Population Size
Forceps
Spoon
Fork
Knife
Prey Type Black bean Pinto bean Red bean White bean Total % Captured
Total Kills
# Survived
% Survived
% Total Population

Note: For population size in generation 2, multiply the number that survived in generation 1 by
two.

Part 3: Natural Selection Exercise—Generation 3


The winning predator will reproduce again and the surviving prey will also reproduce (just like
they did in the previous exercise). Collect and record new data.

Data Sheet: Generation 3

Prey Type Black bean Pinto bean Red bean White bean Total % Captured
Population Size
Forceps
Spoon
Fork
Knife
Prey Type Black bean Pinto bean Red bean White bean Total % Captured
Total Kills
# Survived
% Survived
% Total Population

Note: For population size in generation 3, multiply the number that survived in generation 2 by
two.

Part 4: Pie Chart Analysis of Predator and Prey Populations


Now that you have collected data from three generations of predator and prey populations, you
will use the data to create a set of pie charts to help you interpret your results. The first pair of
pie charts represent the data from the original predator and prey populations. Use these examples
to create your own charts using your group’s data.
End of First Generation

End of Second Generation

End of Third Generation


Lab Questions
1. Explain in your own words the process of natural selection.
2. What conclusions can you draw regarding the effect of natural selection on the
predator populations in this exercise?
3. What conclusions can you draw regarding the effect of natural selection on the prey
populations in this exercise?
4. What do you predict would happen to both predator and prey populations if the habitat
for this exercise was changed? Give an example.
5. Relate the concept of natural selection to the process of evolution.
6. Is natural selection the only way evolution occurs? Explain.

8 + 14 + 10 +15 ↵
100 – 47 ↵
1.

53 + 6 + 23 + 41 ↵
2.

(53/100) × 100 (6/100) × 100 ↵


3.

(53/123) × 100 ↵
4.
5.

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