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Natural selection
Natural selection is one of the basic mechanisms of evolution, along with mutation, migration, and genetic drift. Darwin's grand idea of evolution by natural selection is
relatively simple but often misunderstood. To find out how it works, imagine a population of beetles:
There is variation in traits.
For example, some beetles are dark and
some are light colored.
1. What determines the color of a beetle?
There is differential reproduction.
Environments can not support unlimited
population growth. Therefore not all
individuals get to reproduce – thus they
will not add to the population.
2. What factors come into play to control the population?
Survival of a Species
This environment the dark beetles tend
to get eaten by birds and survive to
reproduce less often than light beetles
do.
3. What type of environment would help the light beetles to
“hide” from predators?
There is heredity.
The surviving light beetles have light
baby beetles because this trait has a
genetic advantage.
4. Why would the ligh beetle have more or less of a chance
of survival?
End result:
The more advantageous trait, light
coloration, which allows the beetle to
have more offspring, becomes more
common in the population. If this
process continues, eventually, all
individuals in the population will be light.
5. What can be said about the dark beetle, when the light
beetle has become the only type of beetle around?
6. What environment would the light colored peppered moth have the best
camouflage coloring for?
7. What about the habitat helps the peppered moth to hide? Explain how the
color of the moth increases or decreases their chances of survival.
8. Why would night time activities for moths save them from the birds?
9. What two things help the larvae to hide from predators?
Circle the two larvae in the picture.
10. What is the life span of a peppered moth?
11. How would pollution give the dark colored moths and advantage now?
12. Explain the concept of "natural selection" using your moths as an example.
13. What would happen if there were no predators in the forest? Would the colors of the moths change over time? Defend your answer.
CIRCLE THE PEOPLE YOUR ARE ASKED TO FIND:
In the mall scene find the women with the polka dotted skirt and large hand bag. In the beach scene find Waldo.
How is ‘Where’s Waldo?” like survival of the fittest?