Natural Selection Lab

This hands-on laboratory exercise is a highly simplified model that attempts to simulate
evolution by means of natural selection. Predators will act as agents of selection on their prey, a
species whose members vary in color. We will assume that color is an inherited trait. Small
squares of paper will represent the prey, which will be spread out of a piece of printed colored
fabric that will serve as the habitat. The predators (you) will prey upon the population, with the
surviving members reproducing and passing along the genes for color.

Problem:

How does a population change as a result of natural selection?

Materials:

 5 different colors of paper cut into 1 cm × 1 cm squares (at least 100 squares of each
color)
 Multicolored fabric or newspaper, approximately 1 meter × 1 meter
 1 or 2 partners (friends or family)

Procedure:

 The prey will be represented by the small 1 cm × 1 cm squares of paper and the habitat is
represented by the 1 meter × 1 meter piece of fabric. Hypothesize which color prey you
think is most likely to be captured by the predator and which color prey is most likely to
survive, and then record your hypothesis. Be sure that your hypothesis includes
explanations for your predictions.
 Have the two partners (prey) stand with their backs to the habitat while you scatter 20
squares of each color randomly on the fabric. Try to achieve a uniform distribution, and
be sure to separate any that are clumped together.
 Have the partner(s) randomly pick up the prey as fast as they can. Have them stop when
they have collected a total of 75 prey, leaving the other 25 remaining in the habitat.
 Count the number of survivors of each color. Each surviving prey has three offspring of
the same color, bringing the total population back up to 100. Record the number of each
color in the next generation in your data table.
 Count out the correct number of each colored prey and scatter them on the fabric. Repeat
the process two more times, for a total of three generations.

Hypothesis: If there is more of the color red on the fabric, then more red creatures will survive
because it is harder to see on the fabric than the other colors.
Data and Observations:

Create a data table containing a tally of the number of each color of prey in each generation:

Color 1.Yellow 2. Red 3. Blue 4. Green 5. Pink

Generation 0 20 20 20 20 20
Generation 1 4 36 40 8 12
Generation 2 0 52 40 4 4
Generation 3 0 72 28 0 0

Record any observations.

Data Analysis: 

Create a graph that tracks the changes in the prey population’s colors.

Chart Title
80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
Generation 0 Generation 1 Generation 2 Generation 3

Yellow Red Blue Green Pink

Conclusion:

Be sure to answer the following reflection questions in the conclusion of your lab report:

Reflection questions need to be answered using complete sentences. Some questions may require
a longer explanation in paragraph form.

 How do the original and surviving prey populations compare?

Each original prey population has twenty prey, but the surviving prey population is 72
red prey and 28 blue prey. As you can see from the data table, although all the colors
started out at the same amount, three colors ended up extinct, and red and blue’s
population increased.

 How did the colors of each type of prey affect its population size over time?

Yellow creatures contrasted the most, so they went extinct first. Green and pink creatures
blended in, but not as much as red and blue, so the green and pink creatures went extinct
in the 3rd generation. Meanwhile, the red and blue populations were skyrocketing,
although red had the highest population. Overall, the colors that contrasted with the
habitat decreased, and the colors that were closer in color to its surroundings increased.

 What color(s) seemed to camouflage the best in this habitat? What color(s) seemed to
stand out the most?

The colors red and blue seemed to blend with the multi-color background the best, but the
yellow contrasted the most.

 How do you predict the data would change if you continued? Explain your answer.

Blue would go extinct, and then red would be the only population left.

 How would these results change if the colors or patterns of the habitat were to change?

The creature whose color was closest to the new surrounding would be the most likely to
survive.

 Identify at least two things that are unrealistic and two things that are realistic about this
exercise.

Realistic:
1. Prey would be eaten, and certain species could go extinct
2. Camouflage could affect a species’ survival
 Unrealistic:
1. Real creatures are not made of paper
2. The same amount of prey would not be eaten in the wild; different numbers
would.

 What traits could help a predator be more “fit” in this model environment?

If the predator was multi-colored and was shaped more like the pattern on the fabric, the
predator would be harder to see. This would allow the predators to sneak up on the
creatures. This adaptation is beneficial for the predator, but devastating for the prey,
decreasing the chance of survival for the creatures.

 Describe other adaptations besides color that could affect an individual’s survival

An organism can use camouflage as a way to avoid getting eaten, but another method is
mimicry. For example, the Kingsnake, a relatively harmless snake, pretends to look like
the extinct venomous Coral snake. This fools predators into thinking the Kingsnake is
poisonous, thereby increasing its chance of survival.