Natural Selection Virtual Lab

Table

1/A
Normal
1/A
Mutant
1/B
Normal
1/B
Mutant
2/A
Normal
2/A
Mutant
2/B
Normal
2/B
Mutant
3/A
Normal
3/A
Mutant
3/B
Normal
3/B
Mutant

Generati
on 0
50

Generati
on 1
43

Generati
on 2
36

Generati
on 3
30

Generati
on 4
21

Generati
on 5
19

10

17

21

23

26

39

50

48

41

33

27

18

10

12

19

26

34

40

50

53

57

51

48

50

10

50

40

36

22

20

15

10

15

23

30

39

50

50

43

39

30

21

16

10

14

20

29

36

39

50

48

53

50

51

46

10

19

21

28

37

40

Journal Questions
1. Look at the information you recorded in your Table for a particular
Mutations/Conditions combination. Describe how the population of animals changed
over time
Mutation: Claws for Climbing
(3/A)

Condition: New Predator

At Generation 0 there were 50 normal individuals and 10 individuals with the claw
mutation. As time progressed the population of the normal animals started to
decrease and the population of the mutated individuals started to increase. After 5
generations the population of the normal individuals was 16 and the population of
the individuals with the claw mutation was 36.

2. Using your understanding of natural selection, explain why the population

changed the way it did.
The population of the non-mutated animals decreased because they had more
difficulty escaping predators, where as their mutated counter parts could easily
escape by climbing trees. The mutated individuals have a better change at survival
and there for having a better chance at reproducing and passing their genetic
mutation to their offspring.
3. Invent a new type of mutation and a new environmental condition that might
affect this population of animals. How might natural selection operate on a
population with this new mutation and new condition? How would the population
change over time?
Mutation: Ability to stay hydrated for long periods of time
Extremely dry climate

Condition:

At generation 0 there could be 50 normal individuals and 10 mutated individuals.

Over time the population of these two groups would vastly change. The individuals
that could not stay hydrated in the extremely dry climate would eventually die and
would be unable to reproduce. The individuals with the positive mutation would be
able to reproduce and pass their ability to stay hydrated for a long period of time to
their offspring.
4. Scientists have discovered by looking at fossil records that the ancestors of
giraffes had shorter necks than giraffes today. Make a hypothesis about how long
necks evolved in giraffes through the process of natural selection.
If giraffe necks have evolved to be longer through the process of natural selection,
then long necks are a trait that help giraffes survive (by allowing them to access
food that is high up in trees) , reproduce, and pass their positive genes to their
offspring.