Evidence of Variation, Adaptation and Evolution

Evidence of Variation, Adaptation and Evolution

EVIDENCE OF VARIATION, ADAPTATION AND EVOLUTION

AT THE ZOO/AQUARIUM

In this exercise you will visit the zoo/aquarium and observe one species. You will then answer a number of questions based on your observations. You may find it helpful to bring a clipboard and scratch paper to take your observations. This is partly an exercise in observation skills. To receive credit for this assignment you must staple your ticket stub to the assignment. The assignment will be graded looking for thoroughness of your answers. The points given for this assignment aren’t just given to you for going. This exercise is based on one by William McComas printed in Investigating Evolutionary Biology in the Laboratory by William McComas (Lancaster Press, Lancaster, PA, 1994).

Part I – Variation Within a Species

In biology, genetic variation occurs and can cause phenotypic differences in species. In this part of this assignment, you will observe variation within a non-human species.

  1. Choose one species in the zoo/aquarium of interest to you. There must be at least three individuals of this species in the zoo’s/aquarium’s collection. More would be better, so long as you are able to distinguish individuals. Write the name of your choice below:

Common name ______Scientific Name ______

  1. Study the animals of this species. List at least 6 physical characteristics which vary between individuals. (e.g. Hair length – two have long, one has medium length, and one has short hair). A thorough job on this question will make the rest of the assignment easier.

Part II – Adaptation to the Environment

In this exercise you will attempt to determine what characteristics of your species make it able to survive in its particular environment.

  1. Describe the environment of your animal. Be specific. You may need to do a little outside research, but don’t get carried away. Be sure to reference any material used which is not your own!!!
  1. List characteristics you believe help this organism survive and breed in its environment. Be sure to indicate how you think this characteristic helps (e.g. “because grizzly bears live as far north as Canada and Alaska, they benefit from their thick fur coat in winter months”).
  1. List characteristics you believe will make it difficult for this organism to survive and breed in its environment. Be sure to indicate how you think this characteristic makes it difficult (e.g. “the great size of a grizzly bear requires it to eat enormous amounts of food, much more than a smaller animal would”).
  1. Were there any characteristics that appear as both advantages and disadvantages? What do you think is the result of natural selection on this trait? (e.g. Bigger animals are safer from predators, but need more food, so medium sized may be best for some animals”).
  1. What has the zoo/aquarium done to enhance the conditions for the animals you have chosen? What could be done to improve the exhibit? (e.g. Grizzly bears live in mountainous areas and the zoo has built a small mountain area for the bear but Grizzlies usually travel distances and the exhibit is fairly small”).

Part III – Future Evolution

In this exercise you will try to predict how natural selection would affect your species in the future if your animal were forced to live in a new environment. If your animal lives in a changing environment (perhaps due to the prescience of humans) you may describe this new environment. If not, you may pick any new environment for your species. (e.g. you could move a desert animal to the jungle, or a swamp animal to the desert, etc.)

  1. Name and describe the new environment in which your species will have to try to survive in.
  1. Choose three characteristics of your species that will have to change for the species to survive in its new environment. Describe the new characteristics that will be favored..

PresentFuture Reason for change

Characteristic Characteristic

1.

2.

3.

  1. If the environment change is gradual, do you think your species could survive? To answer, think about the normal variation you observed in Part I and Part II. Does your population have any variation in the characteristics needed to survive? Why or why not?
  1. Now consider what would happen if the environmental change were sudden. Do you think your species could survive? Are any individuals that could survive the new environment with their present characteristics? Why or why not?

Part IVA – Convergent Evolution

  1. Choose an animal from the same environment as yours, with similar characteristics, but different ancestry (e.g. a bird and a mammal, or a lizard and a crab). Write the name of your choice below:

Common name ______Scientific Name ______

  1. List 6 characteristics this species has in common with your species.

Part IVA – Divergent Evolution

  1. Choose an animal you believe to be closely related to yours (e.g. zebra and horses, lions and tigers). If possible, choose one from a different environment. Write the name of your choice below:

Common name ______Scientific Name ______

  1. List four reasons for believing these species are related (similar characteristics).
  1. List four differences from your species.
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