Natural Selection Lab

Pre Lab
Problem: How are different individuals of a brine shrimp population better adapted
to develop and survive in different environmental conditions?

Hypothesis: As salinity increases, the hatching viability will decrease.

Variables
Independent: percent of salinity
Dependent: hatching viability
Data Table

Dish
#

%
NaCL

0
hours
#
eggs

1
2
3
4
5

0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0

34
39
40
26
57

24 hours

26
30
26
24
47

#
eggs

#
dead
or
partial
ly
hatch
ed
8
9
13
2
10

48 hours
#
swimmi
ng

#
eggs

#
dead
or
partial
ly
hatch
ed

#
swimmi
ng

Hatchi
ng
viabilit
y

1
-

Pre-Laboratory questions
1. Define adaptation in your own terms and give an example.
An adaption is a trait that gives an organism a greater chance to survive and
reproduce when compared to the rest of the population. Adaptions are the
result of beneficial traits being selected by environmental pressures.
2. Five petri dishes containing solutions of various salinities are prepared. The
percentage of the salt in solution is as follows: 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%.
Predict what will occur if you place several brine shrimp eggs in each petri
dish.

Lab Day: follow procedures

Write up:
Data

Natural Selection Lab

Processing
Graph
Questions
Inquiry:
Complete Part A and obtain approval
Part B?
Big Idea Assessments: answer questions 1 & 2