Natural Selection Worksheet
Instructions: As you complete the Natural Selection activity, fill in this worksheet with the appropriate information and data. Submit the completed worksheet for grading.
Title: Natural Selection Activity
Your name: Lauren
Instructor’s name: Mrs. Moser
Name of this activity: Natural Selection
Hypotheses:
Suppose then that I research the environment with snow, then I will find out that the population of white rabbits has been increasing over time.
Data:
Table 1: Rabbits in the light-colored environment
| Generation | Rate of Survival for White Rabbits | Rate of Survival for Brown Rabbits |
| 1 | 52 | 48 |
| 2 | 64 | 36 |
| 3 | 80 | 20 |
| 4 | 87 | 13 |
| 5 | 99 | 1 |
Table 2: Rabbits in the dark-colored environment
| Generation | Rate of Survival for White Rabbits | Rate of Survival for Brown Rabbits |
| 1 | 37 | 63 |
| 2 | 33 | 67 |
| 3 | 20 | 80 |
| 4 | 8 | 92 |
| 5 | 0 | 100 |
Data Analysis:
Please plot both rabbit colors in each graph:
- Graph one: “rate of survival in light environment” – X axis is Generation, and Y axis is Survival Rate – use 2 different colors in your key to represent the rabbit colors
- graph two: “rate of survival in dark environment” – X axis is Generation and Y axis Survival Rate – – use the 2 colors you chose for your first graph
Add titles to your X and Y axes.
Draw two graphs, one to plot the data of the light environment, and one to plot the data of the dark environment.
Reflection questions:
Based on what you have learned during the lesson and the activity, please respond to the following in full sentences:
- Identify the independent and dependent variables investigated. Describe
the correlation between them.
Independent: Environment, what specifically about the environment is being tested?
Dependent: Rabbits, what is being measured about the rabbits?
- Discuss the trends of the lab activity.
- What are the conclusions regarding adaptation and natural selection with regard to the survival of a species?
Based on the pattern observed? Justify your conclusions.
The rabbit that suits well into the environment will survive, and the rabbit that does not fit well into the environment will go extinct.
What are the effects on the offspring of the colored environments of each colored rabbit?
How do generations get influenced by the favorable characteristics of each colored rabbit?
- Discuss how the numbers could appear if, rather than changing environments,
There was a change in climate. Also, ensure that one is specific.
The reason behind this is that the change you will be considering and how it will lead to changes in the population.
The light-coloured rabbits also flourish in a colder and snowier climate, –
Why does it lead to alterations in the populations?
Whereas the brown rabbits live in something of a temperate climate, –
What makes it dictate the evolution in the populations?
- Deforestation practices were prevalent in the dark environment, and all the trees were removed.
- Determine what kind of succession this is.
- Provide insights on how this ecological event will affect the survival rates of both color types of rabbits and the predator, as well.
In case all the trees were taken out of the dark environment, the environment would experience extinction. The rabbits and predators would have to relocate due to their environment being destroyed.
Both rabbit colors would be impacted indeed, but reflect how the rabbits being exposed due to fewer trees might make them more vulnerable. Then talk about what will happen to the predators, depending on what happens to both bunnies of the different colors.