Naturalselectionworksheet.docx
.pdf
School
Buchanan High School**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
SCIENCE 100
Subject
Biology
Date
Dec 19, 2024
Pages
4
Uploaded by JusticeGalaxyAlligator25
Natural Selection WorksheetInstructions: As you complete the Natural Selection activity, fill in this worksheet with theappropriate information and data. Submit the completed worksheet for gradingTitle:Your name: Natalia SemperInstructor's name: Loree CoxName of this activity: Natural Selection ActivityHypotheses:My hypotheses is that the white rabbits will have a higher survival rate because their fur coloris less easily spotted by predators than the brown population of rabbits.If I investigate the environment with snow, then I will observe an increase in the population ofwhite rabbits over time.Data:Table 1: Rabbits in the light-colored environmentGenerationRate of Survival for White RabbitsRate of Survival for Brown Rabbits1465427129310004100051000Table 2: Rabbits in the dark-colored environmentGenerationRate of Survival for White RabbitsRate of Survival for Brown Rabbits1168420100301004010050100
Data Analysis:Make two graphs, one to plot the data for the light environment one for the darkenvironment.I made the graphs up above.Reflection questions:Using what you have learned from the lesson and the activity, answer the followingquestions in complete sentences:1.Identifythe independent and dependent variables investigated.Describetherelationship among them.The independent variables in this investigation include the colors of the tworabbit populations and the environment in which they are placed. Thedependent variable is the rate of survival for each population of rabbits. Thesurvival of each population is dependent on whether the color of their furhelps or hinders them in camouflaging to their environment, reducing the riskof being spotted by prey.2.Explainthe patterns observed in the lab activity. What conclusionsabout adaptation and natural selection can be drawn pertaining to survival of aspecies based on the pattern observed?Justifyyour conclusions.Patterns in this lab activity show that the fur color greatly impacts the rabbits’chances of survival. Rabbits whose fur color easily blended in with theirenvironment proved to have a much higher chance of survival than theircounterparts. This leads to the conclusion that adaptations and genetic variation arecrucial to the survival of populations/species in relation to natural selection andsurvival of the fittest.3.Explainhow the numbers might look if instead of changing environments, therewas a change in climate. Make sure to be specific in what change you areconsidering and why it would guide the changes in the populations.In the experiment, if instead of changing environments, there was a change inclimate, the percentages of survival for each population may look different.For example, if the cold environment suddenly became warm, there would bea change in the color scheme of the region due to snow melting. This couldpoint to a negative difference in the effectiveness of the white rabbitpopulation’s camouflaging. Instead of blending in with the snow, they wouldnow stand out against the brown and green of the dirt and plants. Therefore,the population may shift over time and multiple generations from primarilywhite to brown fur because white fur would be out of favor in naturalselection.
4.In the dark environment, all trees were removed due to deforestation practices.Identifythe type of succession this is.Explainhow this ecological event impactsthe survival rates of both color types of rabbits and the predator.The removal of all trees in the dark environment due to deforestation would beconsidered secondary succession. This disturbance in the environment would lead to anew community of inhabitants, making it secondary succession. Survival rates of boththe rabbits and their predators would be affected, as their habitat would be lost, foodsources would be depleted, and their vulnerability to harmful factors would increase.For the rabbits, there would be nowhere to hide and no food to be found. For theirpredators, their food source would be slowly eliminated as the rabbit populationdwindles.