Questions
- What factors may contribute to an animal population’s growth or decline?
- What may cause different animals to become extinct?
- What causes an animal species over populate?
Hypotheses
- I hypothesize that brown rabbits will be more likely to survive while living on the equator with wolves as their predators than white rabbits
- I hypothesize that rabbits with long teeth will be more likely to survive while living on the equator and consuming food than rabbits with short teeth
- I hypothesize that that brown rabbits will be less likely to survive while living in the Arctic and consuming food that rabbits with white fur
- I hypothesize that rabbits with more likely to survive while living on the equator with wolves as their predators than rabbits with short teeth
PhET Natural Selection Simulation | |
File Size: | 2118 kb |
File Type: | jar |
Procedure:
These experiments were conducted using the Natural Selection simulation provided by the PhET website (download the simulation file above).
- Select and environment
- Add a friend with a mutation
- Wait until the F3 generation to record the initial population
- Add the selective factor
- After adding the selective factor, let the simulation run for another 3 generations
- Record population data provided on the graph
- Repeat for experiments 2, 3, and 4
Data
Data Graphs
Conclusions
Data gathered from the four simulation experiments indicates that the rabbit species were more likely to survive if the genetic mutations of their offspring are adaptable and complimentary to the surrounding environment
There are many factors that may contribute to a species overpopulation or extinction. Genes passed down from generation to generation mutate in response to a particular habitat. Factors in an environment such as, food and water resources, climate, geography, protection from predators, mating opportunities, etc. all contribute to a species survival.
There are many factors that may contribute to a species overpopulation or extinction. Genes passed down from generation to generation mutate in response to a particular habitat. Factors in an environment such as, food and water resources, climate, geography, protection from predators, mating opportunities, etc. all contribute to a species survival.
Remaining Questions1. What happens to animals that cannot compete as well with other animals in the wild?
2. Sometimes animals that are introduced into an area that they never lived in before, out-compete and endanger resident species, why do you think this happens? 3. If only one species is considered the "fittest", why do we still have so many variations among species. Why do some birds have very long pointy beaks, while other birds have short flat beaks? 4. How do you think diseases can affect natural selection? 5. How does this simulation mimic natural selection? In what ways does this simulation fail to represent the process of natural selection? |