Natural Selection Experiment Kit

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Natural Selection Experiment Kit

• Fisher Catalog S19454
• Lab Aids No 91 65.00

2
Objectives

• Describe the importance of coloration in avoiding
  predation
• Relate environmental change to changes in
  organisms
• Explain how natural selection causes populations
  to change

3
When to fit this into the curriculum

• Students should have a basic understanding of
  Darwins theory of Natural Selection.
• Students should be able to define the struggle
  for existence and organism fitness.
• Students should have a basic understanding of
  ecology

4
Background Knowledge

• Before Englands Industrial Revolution began
  blackening the bark of trees with smoke soot,
  the predominant variety of peppered moth had
  light-colored, speckled wings that blended with
  lichen covered tree bark. This camouflaged them
  from predators .
• Black winged mutant moths were a rare variation.
  The
• first was captured in 1848.

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• As the tree trunks became darker, the light
  speckled variety of moths were easier for
  predators to prey on. By 1900 the black peppered
  moths outnumbered the light variety by 99 to 1.
  None could be found between 1952-1964.

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Test Darwins Famous Theory

• Experiment simulates the predator-prey
  relationship that changed the balance of nature
  for the light and dark peppered moth

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Lab Contents

• 3 black environment trays
• 3 green environmental trays
• 3 sets of moths (59 total) ranging in color
  from white gray - black
• 3 sets of squares (82 total) ranging in size
• from ½ to 2 inches
• 1 set of resealable bags
• 30 Data charts
• 1 instructional manual

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Procedure

• Each student group should obtain a data chart and
  an environment tray.
• Students with a dark tray need to obtain a set of
  moths. Students with a light tray need to obtain
  a set of squares.
• Students will arrange their moths or squares in
  the environment tray
• Each student will then pick 5 moths from their
  tray and tally them according to the sizes
  shades chosen on the data card

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• After each student tallies their results they
  should trade their environmental trays, moths, or
  squares with a group that has the opposite color
  tray, moths, or squares.
• Students should again count out 5 moths or
  squares from their new material
• Class totals can be determined for completion of
  a graph

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Further

• Discuss the possible future of moth variations
• Smoke control laws passed in England during the
  1950s have provided a cleaner habitat for the
  light peppered moths. Surveys done in 1966 1969
  collected 25 light moths out of 972 total moths,
  indicating a change occurring in color again.

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Thoughts?

• http//www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/peppermoth
  _paper.html
• http//www6.district125.k12.il.us/nfischer/Moth/
• Are these just as good?