Choose an Animal

As a class, decide on an animal that is relatively well-known.

Habitat

What is this animal’s habitat?

Identify Feature #1

What does this animal eat?

Identify Feature #2

What feature of the animal helps it to get its food?

Identify Feature #3

What feature of the animal helps it to avoid predators?

Identify Feature #4

What feature of the animal helps it to attract mates?

Identify Feature #5

Is this animal nocturnal or diurnal?

Question

Which of these features is controlled or primarily influenced by genes?

Mutation 1

Choose one trait and mutate it in some believable way. List this new feature in column 1, next to the feature you mutated.

Mutations 2-5

Repeat the previous step four more times. You may mutate the same gene every time, or you can choose five different genes to mutate, or any combination.

Summary

List all features that the animal currently has in the “summary” column.

Environmental Change

While these mutations were occurring, regional weather patterns were slowly changing and the habitat is no longer the same.

Question #1

Can your animal still live in this changed local environment? Explain why.

Question #2

Could your animal still mate with the original animal if they could be brought together in time? Explain why.

Question #1: Answers

No = Extinction Yes = Adaptation

Question #2: Answer

No: SpeciationYes: Species Variation

What have we just observed?

Evolution!

What happened to this population of organisms?

The development of mutations that are advantageous is called adaptation and occurs naturally through a process called natural selection.

Important Notes:

The mutations happened at random.No advance warning occurred to

forewarn the organism of what mutations would be needed.

The death of non-adaptive organisms establishes that adaptation is not done purposely but rather is the consequence of unplanned, prior variation.

Summary

Genetic variation (mutation) and natural selection can, without advanced planning, eventually lead to the formation of new species.

Adaptation and speciation are the two main events in evolution. As shown in this simulation, they seem to be the natural consequence of natural events.