Transcript Beanie Bunny Lab

Beanie Bunny Lab
Natural Selection for a
Structural Adaptation
Activity 1: Preview the Lab
 Read the introduction for the lab on page 353 of the
Voyagers textbook.
1. Natural Selection = Darwin’s theory of evolution,
which says that organisms with traits, adaptations,
best suited to their environments are likely to
survive and reproduce.
2. Lab Purpose: To model the effect natural selection
has on a structural adaptation within a population
with and without a predator.
3. Materials
 paper bag with “Bunny Gene Pool” written on it
 red beans
 white beans
4. Structural Adaptation Genetics:
Fur color
In our model, the color of the rabbits’ fur is an
incomplete dominance situation:
Genotype
red bean x red bean
Phenotype
(RR)
reddish brown bunny
white bean x white bean (rr)
white bean
red bean x white bean
gray bean
(Rr)
5. Environmental Description
 Temperate Forest
 Round 1: Assume there
are NO predators.
Yummy
!
Look at
all those
greens!
Nom
Nom
5. Environmental Description
 Temperate Forest
 Round 2: Predators!
100%
I like
this lab!
What
does the
fox say?
0% survive
Oh
crap!
Only a
50%
chance?
Okay, back to science. 
 Round 1  no predators
 Round 2  Predators!!
Round 1 – No Pedators
1. Place 10 red bean and 10 white beans in the bag to create a
bunny gene pool.
2. Without looking, reach into the bag and draw out 2 beans.
3. Record the genotype and phenotype of the off-spring in Table
1 (see back).
4. Put the beans back into gene pool after each cross since ALL
rabbits survive to reproduce.
5. Repeat steps 2 - 4 for 25 rounds.
6. Calculate the percentages of each phenotype after 25 crosses.
Round 2: Predators
1. Place 10 red bean and 10 white beans in the bag to create a
bunny gene pool.
2. Without looking, reach into the bag and draw out 2 beans.
3. Record the genotype and phenotype of the off-spring in Table
2 (see back).
4. If both red, put both red beans back in the gene pool. If 2
white beans, put them in the discard cup. If one red and one
white, then put both beans back in the bag 50% of the time.
5. Repeat steps 2 - 4 for 25 rounds.
6. Calculate the percentages of each phenotype after 25 crosses.
Conclusions:
 What effect did the protective coloration adaptation
have on the population in the control (no predators)
environment have?
 What effect did the protective coloration adaptation
have on the population in the test environment?
 http://animal.discovery.com/tv-shows/weirdtrue-and-freaky/videos/outback-rabbitinvasion.htm