LAB 9 WORKSHEET

Name: Stephanie Torres

NATURAL SELECTION

Follow the prompts at: http://sepuplhs.org/high/sgi/teachers/evolution_act11_sim.html

You will be working in groups of three to complete this activity.

NOTE: If you cannot see the entire window of the simulation on your computer, grab the lower
right corner of the screen and drag it until the entire window is visible.

Part A: This simulation represents 500,000 years. A bird population exists in the southwestern
portion of the island. During this time, mutations may alter the ability of some birds and their
descendants to thrive in the environment. Birds with traits that enhance their fitness are more
likely to survive and reproduce.

In the southwest, your birds will encounter the environmental conditions listed in the table
below. Fill in the second column of the chart with the bird phenotypes that are best suited for
each of the conditions.
Bird 1: small size, medium long and much curved large size beak, light green plumage
Bird 2: medium size, medium curved beak, light brown plumage
Bird3: large size, medium short and slightly curved, yellow plumage

Environmental condition Bird phenotype best suited

Seeds Shorter, wider, straight beak

Edible insects Longer and straighter beak

No nectar Longer and curved beak(if nectar present)

Short and straight (if nectar absent)
Light green foliage Light green color

No predators Large size

1. Of the phenotypes you selected for the three birds, how fit do you think each phenotype is in
the current environment?Explain your reasoning.

I believe that bird 1 would be the most fit because bird 1 is able to get edible insects, has
light green foliage, predation has no effect in survival. Bird 2 would be less fir for
survival because his foliage is brown, he has a medium sized beak which can effect what
food the bird can get. The somewhat fit bird is bird 3 because he is able to get seeds,
nectar and predation has no effect in fitness.

2. Work with your group to assign each student one of the populations of birds to observe.
Record the population you havebeen assigned.
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3. Watch the animation. Record in the chart for your assigned population what changes occur
(including mutations, mutationeffects, and population numbers) in each population, and how
many years have passed when the change occurs.
B

Years passed Mutations Mutation effects Population number

50,000 1 mutation in bird 3 Less fit 1: 294

Beak is shorter 2: 310
3:296
100,000 1 mutation in bird 2- No increase or 1: 293
Beak is longer decrease of fitness 2: 301
3: 310
150,000 1 mutation in bird 3 No increase or 1: 295
Beak is shorter decrease fitness and 2: 293
non-mutated birds 3: 310
survived
200,000 1 mutation in bird 3 More fit with mutation, 1: 297
Body size is smaller survived and 2:292
reproduced 3: 300
250,000 1 mutation in bird 2 no increase or 1: 293
Beak is longer decrease of fitness 2:293
3:424
300,000 1 mutation in bird 2 Less fit 1: 294
Size is larger 2: 285
3: 520
350,000 1 mutation in bird 2 no increase or 1: 302
Beak is longer decrease of fitness 2: 296
3:624
400,000 1 mutation in bird 2 no increase or 1: 308
Plumage Is yellow decrease of fitness 2: 299
3: 724
450,000 1 mutation in bird 3 more fit, reproduce 1: 311
Beak is less curved and survive better, 2: 302
non-mutated survived 3: 804
500,000 No mutations No mutation effects 1: 312
2: 301
3: 976

4. In your group, discuss how the bird populations changed over the course of the 500,000
years. Write a summary of yourdiscussion. For example, what types of mutations occurred?
Under what circumstances were the offspring more or less fitas a result of the mutation?

Bird 1 after 500,000 years received no mutations and kept the same phenotype from year
1. From the original population, bird 1 had a net increase of 12. Bird 2 after 500,000 years
had a total of 5 mutations. Even though this bird received 5 mutations, those mutations
did not get passed on at a higher rate in order for the bird to change phenotypic traits.
So, bird 2 kept the same phenotypes from year 1. Bird 3 after 500,000 years received a
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total of 4 mutations. Some mutations got passed on to the next generation. The mutation
passed on is smaller body size and short beak. So bird 3 is described as beak being
short, wide and straight, plumage yellow and body size is medium. Bird 3 in the
beginning had small and slightly curved beak, plumage is yellow and body size is
medium large.
For bird 1, no mutation occurred so its fitness stayed stable throughout all the
years. For bird 2, was less fit when is body got smaller, but that mutation did not get
passed on to induce a change. Bird 3 was less fit when his beak was shorter and was
more fit when his body size was smaller and less curved.

5. Were your ideas about the fitness of each phenotype you selected correct? Explain why or
why not.
My ideas for the fitness of each phenotype was incorrect. The best suited phenotype was
bird 3 over bird 1. Bird 3 received mutations that were beneficial for the bird to survive
and increase it fitness. Bird 1 had mutations but were not passed on to the next
generation so the bird did not have in increase of fitness rather stayed in stasis. Bird 2
had mutations that were passed on but did not create a big effect in increasing its
survival or fitness.

6. Compare how your bird populations changed with the bird populations of another group of
students. Record the similaritiesand differences you notice.

In comparing to Nicole’s black data sheet, I noticed that most of her bird mutations were
different than mine. Her birds had longer beaks compared to my short beaks and she had
a change in foliage but the that foliage was beneficial for the environment. She had a
change in foliage from light green to dark green and in reverse, dark green to light green
for another bird. Within looking at her population number, in 500,000 years she reached
the 1000’s count for all three birds, while my birds stayed below 1000. A similarity for
both our data was that when a bird gotten smaller size, the bird was more fit and better
suited for reproduction. Another similarity was that once a bird had a less curved beak,
the bird also was better fit.
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Part B: A hurricane has hit the island, and some of the birds have been blown to three new
areas! Each area has a uniqueenvironment. Work with your group to assign each of you to
observe one of the three areas.

7. Record in the chart below the environment that exists in each of the three new areas when
each bird population arrives.
Circle in the first column the name of the area that you have been assigned.
500,000 years
Bird 1: beak medium long and much curved, plumage is light green, and body size is medium
small
- nectar, light green foliage, somewhat away from predators
Bird 2: beak is medium and curved, plumage is light brown, and body size is medium
– nectar, disadvantage in seeds and insects, different foliage, somewhat away from predators
Bird 3: beak is short and wide and straight, plumage is yellow, and body size is medium.
–seeds, no insects, different foliage, somewhat way from predators, no nectar

Area Description of environment

Northeast Plenty of seeds, some insects, no nectar,

some predators, light brown foliage
Northwest Some seeds, plenty of insects, no nectar,
some predators, light green foliage
Southeast Some seeds, some insects, plenty of nectar,
some predators, dark green foliage

8. Discuss with your group which birds you think will be most fit in each new environment and
which will be less fit. Recordin the space below your ideas, and explain your reasoning.

In Northeast, bird 3 will be most fit because it can get plenty of seeds with its beak, can
escape predators with its medium size, can still get insects with its straight beak. The
less fit bird in this environment is bird 2 because it has a medium beak that will be hard
to get seeds or insects and relies on nectar but no nectar is present in this area. The only
advantage is the bird will be able to escape predator’s due to a light brown foliage.
In Northwest, bird 1 will be most fit because it has a long beak that can eat insects,
carries the same foliage as the environment, light green, and would be able to escape
predators. The less fit bird is 2 because this bird relies on nectar but this environment
has no nectar, has a medium beak that can be difficult to get insects or seeds, and a
different foliage.
In southeast, bird 2 will be best fit because it can receive plenty of nectar in his
environment and his size is able to escape predators even with a different foliage. The
less fit bird would be 3 because this bird can’t receive nectar with its beak, rather only
relies on seeds for a food source.
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9. Watch the animation for your assigned area. Record in the chart below the phenotypes of the
birds in each populationand their environment (food, foliage, predators) each time there is a
change in the area during 500,000 years of evolution.

Answers will vary. Northeast

Years passed Mutations Mutation effects Environment Population

number

550,000 #3 mutation-body Less fit same 1:51

size smaller 2: 200
3:530
600,000 #1: body size is 1 &3 are more fit. Same 1: 60
smaller Non mutated birds 2: 270
#3: body size is survived 3: 640
larger
650,000 No mutations No mutations Some nectar 1: 71
available 2: 342
3: 852
700,000 3: body size is 3: offspring less fit, Nectar is plentiful 1: 207
smaller phenotype no 2: 546
longer present in 3: 1056
population
750,000 No mutations No mutations No change 1: 337
2: 898
3: 1320
800,000 No mutations No mutations No change 1: 367
2: 1210
3: 1554

850,000 1: body size is Offspring more fit. No change 1: 369

larger Population has this 2: 1522
phenotype. Non 3: 1788
mutated birds still
survive
900,000 1: body size is 1 and 3 more fit. No change 1: 429
larger Most populations 2: 1874
3: beak is more have this 3: 2052
curved phenotype. non
mutated birds
survived
950,000 2: beak is less More fit. Population No change 1: 579
curved has this 2: 2226
phenotype. . non 3: 2228
mutated birds
survived
1,000,000 No mutations No mutations No change 1: 672
2: 2570
3: 2400
 LAB 9 WORKSHEET

1,000,000 years
Northeast
Bird 1:
Medium long and very curved, plumage is light green and body size is medium.
Bird 2:
Beak is medium and slightly curved; body size is medium, light brown foliage
-Lost curved a bit
Bird 3
Beak is short and wide and slightly curved, plumage is yellow, body size is medium large
-Lost straight beak, increased body size
Northwest:
Bird 1:
Beak is medium long and very curved, plumage is light green, body size is medium
Bird 2:beak is medium and slightly curved, plumage is light brown, and body size is medium
-Less curved
Bird 3:
Beak is short and wide and straight, plumage is yellow, body size is medium.
Southeast
1: beak is medium long and very curved, [plumage is dark green and body size is medium small
-plumage changed, smaller body size
2: beak is medium and curved, plumage is light brown, and size is medium small
-small body size
3: Beak is short and wide and straight, plumage is yellow and size is medium.
-This bird died

10. With your group, discuss the changes that occurred in each of the three areas over 500,000
years.

In Northeast, there was a total of 8 mutations that have occurred over 500,000 years. Bird
1 had 3 mutations that consisted of body size, bird 2 had one mutation consisting of
beak structure, and bird 3 had 4 mutations consisting of body size and beak structure.
The environment changed that occurred was the area received plenty of nectar. Even
with these changes, not all the mutations got passed on. The mutations that were passed
on in the northeast was bird 2 losing a bit of the curved beak, bird 3 losing its straight
beak and increased body size. In Northwest, only 1 major changed occurred that affected
other passing generations which is bird 2 having a less curved beak. In southeast, there
was 3 changes that affected the bird survival which was bird 1 having a dark green
foliage and smaller body size and bird 2 having a smaller bird size as well. Bird 3 died in
this area.
In reference to population size, bird 2 and bird 3 thrived in the northeast
environment with over 2000 individuals. Bird 1 lost most of its population in the
beginning due to a change in body size but later after 850,000 years increased body size
to receive a gain of 360 individuals. In southeast, bird 3 was less fit with its population
dying off due to the disadvantages it had in this area. The most fit was bird 1 with the
most individuals in its population with 493, a net increase of 181. This increase could be
that the bird got a more curved beak which helped the bird get more nectar and the
plumage changed from light green to dark green plumage which is the same plumage as
the area. In northwest, the bird with the most individual was bird 3 with 252 but all the
three birds were dying in this environment. At 500,000 years, bird 3 had 976 which is a
 LAB 9 WORKSHEET

net decrease of 724. The less populated bird was bird 1 with 77 Individuals with an
original population of 312.

11. Explain how much the recent birds vary from the original birds after 1 million years of natural
selection. How does evolutionexplain the changes? Use the following terms or phrases in your
explanation: natural selection, random mutation,nonrandom selection of favorable traits,
reproduction, genetic variation, and extinction.

Northeast: bird 1; bigger size- medium

Bird 2: lost curve
Bird 3: no change
Northwest:
Bird 1: smaller size-medium
Bird2: lost some curve-slightly curved
Bird 3: lost curve-straight
Southeast:
Bird 1: plumage is dark green, bigger body size-medium
Bird2: smaller body size-small
Bird 3: straight beak, small size-medium

After 1,000,000 years, in northeast area, bird 1 maintained bigger body size from small to
medium. Bird 2 lost some of its curved beak from very curved to slightly curved. Bird 3
had no change after 1,000,000 years. In northwest area, bird 1 maintained a larger body
size, from small to medium. Bird 2 lost some of its curved beak from medium curved to
slightly curved. Bird 3 lost its curved completely and marinated a straight beak. In
southeast, bird 1 had a change in plumage from light green foliage to dark green. Bird 2
lowered the body size from medium to small. Bird 3 lowered the body size from large to
medium.
Evolution explains these changes by the passing of genes from one generation to the
next. In the reproduction process, genes that are passed on can have an error in meiosis
which causes random mutations to occur. Mutation is the cause of genetic variation in
population to increase. These mutations can either be beneficial or harmful for the
individuals in the population. When genetic variation is increased, birds have differences
in phenotypic traits one from another. Birds that have an advantage in their non-random
phenotypic traits tend to survive better and increase their fitness. Mutations are the
product of natural selection

12. In this activity you worked with a model to simulate natural selection. In what ways did this
activity model natural selectionwell? What aspects of natural selection did the simulation not
include?

This model represented hoe natural selection would work in the natural world in some
ways. Natural selection itself is nonrandom so animals with selected traits that is an
advantage to them will increase their survival and fitness depending on environmental
circumstances. So, the phenotypic traits that these birds received helped some bird
 LAB 9 WORKSHEET

survive and others not. Mutations can either be beneficial or harmful for an individual
which affect the rate of survival in these animals. The model did not include the aspect of
environmental changes other than predation, food sources, nectar and foliage. It
possible that the weather can have affect in the bird’s survival if it’s a drastic change, or
if a bird lives in a population filled with cars that can kill them. Another factor could be
birds migrating from different areas affecting the fitness of the original population either
benefitting them or killing them. Many different environmental conditions can kill these
animals even if they are fit for their environment.