Signature Assignment: Natural Selection Lab Report

TuBinh Luong
Anthropology – 1020
Instructor: Melissa Seaboch
February 05, 2020
Charles Darwin’s Finches & Natural Selection
Rationale: Theodosius Dobzhansky, a geneticist whose work influenced 20th-century
research on evolutionary theory, said, "Nothing in biology makes sense, except in the light of
evolution." The purpose of this activity is to gain an understanding of the theory of evolution by
natural selection and of the scientific (empirical) method.
Introduction
Charles Darwin transformed the way we interpret the natural world with theories that
were nothing less of revolutionary in his day. It all started during his visit to the Galapagos
Islands, Charles Darwin found multiple types of finches (birds), varying from island to island,
which helped him establish his theory of natural selection. Charles Darwin began collecting
observations of local wildlife, he explores the different kinds of finches that have been identified
on different islands. From there, he studied the fourteen different species originating from the
common ancestor and the different types of beaks one carried. There were heavy, thick, short,
stout, straight, and slender types of the beak (Jurmain, Kilgore, Trevathan, PG. 37). Darwin’s
noticed that the finches looked different based on the island he was on. He used the scientific
method by observing the finches varied in beak size and shape. Although the finches still carried
the same breed. Darwin's observed that finches modified their beak uniquely to match their diet.
The finches that crush hard seeds from the base of their beaks appear to have small, wide, and
deep beaks. While finches that eat insects appear to have a wider, narrower and shallower form
of a beak. Darwin later wrote about what he had learned from a specific bird, “The most curious
fact is the perfect gradation in the size of the beaks of the different species of Geospiza. Seeing
this gradation and diversity of structure in one small, intimately related group of birds, one
might fancy that, from an original paucity of birds in this archipelago, one species has been
taken and modified for different ends.” Evidence has shown that the appearance of the beak is
due to variability in food type, availability of food and demand for food supply. These finches
had lived to play a huge role according to Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection. The
focus of this research is the ability of a finch to crack depending on bite ability and muscle
position. From these findings, several theories and experiments have been made to prove why
and how they have been modified. As for the Natural Selection Lab were able to recreate the
ability of beak types and how they could be impacted and modified according to the food source
and other elements.
 Signature Assignment: Natural Selection Lab Report

As for my initial hypothesis, I was given a hair clip for my beak at the beginning of class.
That being the case, I favored hairclips more than other types of beaks. My first hypothesis was
that the hair clip would get more seeds than the chopsticks. The way I developed this hypothesis
was due to the control of one beak, which made me ensure that the frequency of hair clips would
increase, and chopsticks will decrease gradually just because it takes more effort to pick up each
seed. From what I could see with a hair clip, the legs were close together, so I figured they might
easily pick up a sunflower seed. As for the chopstick, I think it's going to be harder to pick up
seeds with a wider, narrow beak. Therefore, this experiment was developed specifically on
applying tongs and the successful outcome it had. I strongly apply my understand that tongs will
significantly increase in frequency over time.
Materials & Methods
Materials:
I. Paper Cups
II. Sunflower Seeds
 Tongs
 Tweezers
 Hair Clips
 Chip Clips
 Chopsticks
 Clothes Pins

In class, we performed a natural selection activity in favor of our experiment. We had to use
a variety of tools to allow a certain number of possibilities throughout the experiment, is the
room is our ecosystem. This experiment required thirty students to participate. Firstly, thirty
paper cups were being handed out individually, the cups represent the individual finches’
stomach (one cup per person). Then there were six different types of clamping tools to represent
the beak styles types of finches among the class. The different types of beaks were handed out
one beak per person considering 5 Tongs, 5 Hair Clip, 5 Tweezers 5 Chip Clips, 5 Chopsticks,
and 5 Clothes Pins. The first five people would obtain the same equipment and the other half
would have different ones, referring to another group of 5 in the category. Everyone should have
one cup and one of the six different “beaks” by now. We then have the sunflower seeds spread
out across the table represent the bird's food. Accompany by an appropriate device to record the
results each round, and the time duration of 60 seconds. Only picking up one seed at a time
within a one-minute time frame each student must attempt to pick up as many sunflower seeds as
possible with their beak and put them into their cup (stomach). This is meant to replicate how
much food a bird can eat with their variation of the beak. If a student manages to pick up all their
sunflower seeds they can move over to another table and pick up other’s sunflower seeds. After
each round, the instructor will ask how many sunflower seeds each student collected. The three
students with the most will stand up and the three students with the least will also stand up. The
 Signature Assignment: Natural Selection Lab Report

three individuals with the most sunflower seeds will produce offspring and increasing the
population of their beak type by one. Those with the least amount of sunflower seeds must give
up their beak type and will receive a new beak that is the same as those with the most sunflower
seeds. This is intended to replicate the concept that favorable variations in beaks may fluctuate
the least favorable variations that decrease. At the beginning of the second round, a new beak
type will be added, a tong, which was intended to show that new mutations could come and be
either favorable or unfavorable. The new data is then recorded. When the six generations are
over, the overall population of the various beak types is evaluated. The process carried out 6
times to determine which generation is a better existence.
Results

Natural Selection – Beak Variation Results

Beak Type Generation 1 Generation 2 Generation 3 Generation 4 Generation 5 Generation 6

Tongs 5 6 8 8 9 9

Tweezers 5 7 7 7 7 7

Hair Clips 5 5 5 6 6 6

Chip Clips 5 5 5 6 5 6

Chopsticks 5 3 1 0 0 0

Clothes Pins 5 4 4 3 3 2

Total 30 30 30 30 30 30

The result of our natural selection activity we can conclude that the chopsticks decreased
from the beginning to the end. Clothespins decreased from beginning to end. Hair clips increased
from the beginning to the end. Tweezers increased from the beginning to the end. Chip clips
remained constant and tongs increased from the beginning to the end. Overall, the top three
“beak” types were tongs, tweezers, and hair clips. The three that decreased the most were chip
clips, chopsticks, and clothespins. However, one type of beak that doubled itself was tongs. It
went from five to twelve in six generations. This can conclude that the type of tongs beak is the
most favorable.
 Signature Assignment: Natural Selection Lab Report

Natural Selection - Beak Variation Data

30

25

20

15

10

0
Tongs Tweezers Hair Clips Chip Clips Chopsticks Clothes Pins Total

Generation 1 Generation 2 Generation 3 Generation 4 Generation 5 Generation 6

Overall Results: At the end of the sixth generation

 Tongs and tweezers increased in population.

 Chip clips, clothes pins, and chopsticks decreased in population.
 Chip clips and hair clips started and ended at the same population.

Conclusion
From the concluding information, I can no longer support my initial hypothesis. This is a
way out of my mind, so I did not think what I first thought would happen with the experiment
Hair clips remained constant and decreased by one in the final generation. Even though this
indicates that hair clips could do well without being linked to others, there is a chance of
decreasing over a long period. The only reason I have made my previous hypothesis is that I had
a “beak” hair clip and I wanted it to succeed in the experiment. Therefore, I think this experiment
has been very credible and all results are fair, although there were a few surprises. There is a
potential outside error that could have an impact on the results of the data since everyone has a
different method used to pick up sunflower seeds. Some of which are quicker and more
professional than others and this determines how many sunflower seeds they can pick up. This
can also lead to a false count of sunflower seeds after counting, resulting in incorrect results.
Besides, there are possible outside forces like not every student in the class is participating,
causing their beak type population to go down. Even environmental factors, such as bumping the
table, would cause the seeds to fall on the floor. Due to only six operation repeating, if this
experiment had been repeated by a whole other group of students, the findings could have been
completely different. We need to consider that is further experimentation by other researchers
would support or refute the consistency of these data. If this experiment is currently ongoing by
 Signature Assignment: Natural Selection Lab Report

another study, I cannot guarantee if my findings will be the same, and I cannot claim that my
results are true due to outside factors like; methods, tools, time, preference, skill and many other
reasons. This would decide whether those observations became accurate or whether they were an
exceptional, one-time situation.
Discussion
The concept of evolution by natural selection was tested in this experiment by studying
the transition in samples of the beak type over time. The favorable variations, such as tongs and
tweezers, had more offspring, increasing population. Unfavorable variations, such as chopsticks,
chip clips and hair clips, have decreased in population as the generation progressed. From the
loss of beak types and the benefit of beak types during each generation, it was intended to show
the transfer of characteristics through ones’ finches to another and to also show the loss of the
finches form when it did not receive enough food. Which is related to competition for food and
reproduction. The experiment found that the number of tweezers decreased, and the finch’s
population shifted to a more desirable trait. The occurrence of the tweezer beak type has
improved over the six generations. There is beak variability in species, some are favorable, some
are not, but the tweezer beak form was favorable. It revealed that the tweezer beak form was
transferred from parent to offspring. Nonetheless, in every generation there are more birds than
they can handle; birds with tweezer beaks are more likely to survive and have more offspring.
The theory of evolution by natural selection is where favorable variations increase in a
population, while unfavorable variations decrease in a population. It showed that there were
natural variations from the different beak types based on the idea of Charles Darwin and
Wallace. The idea is that genetics is shifting the number of specific traits in populations. There
are four underlying assumptions with this. First, natural biological variations are occurring in
nature. Second, there is inheritance. Third, there is competition. Fourth, those individuals with
favorable variations are more likely to survive and have more offspring, with this comes
differential reproductive success. Here are the underlying assumptions:

 Variation is inherited.
 Natural biological variation.
 More offspring are produced than can survive.
 Some variation is favorable, unfavorable, or neutral.
 Individuals with favorable variations are more likely to survive and leave more offspring.

The scientific method is the compilation and analysis of data used to endorse or contradict a
theory hypothesis.

 Formulate a scientific hypothesis

 Collect and analyze data to test the hypothesis
 Conclude the hypothesis
 Support hypothesis
 Signature Assignment: Natural Selection Lab Report

 Refute hypothesis

I was able to apply the use of the scientific method with this activity in the following
ways. If I were to imply a hypothesis to incorporate the scientific method, it would be. “Will a
given beak type population increase, decrease, or remain the same as each generation's
progress?” I think as each generation comes to an end and the number of sunflower seeds that
were taken. Will then be recorded as a new offspring changes with favorable beak variations, and
a decline in population with unfavorable beak variations. Samples of questions I would imply are
what were the ending population counts, does the data support my hypothesis? and does the data
refute my hypothesis?
 Signature Assignment: Natural Selection Lab Report

References
“Darwins Finches and Natural Selection in the Galapagos.” Earthwatch Institute,
earthwatch.org/expeditions/darwins-finches-and-natural-selection-in-the-galapagos.
Grant, Rosemary B., and Peter R. Grant. “BioScience.” What Darwin’s Finches Can Teach Us
about the Evolutionary Origin and Regulation of Biodiversity. Oxford Journals, n.d. Web. 06
Feb. 2016
PennisiApr, Elizabeth, et al. “Natural Selection Is Still with Us.” Science, 10 Dec. 2017,
www.sciencemag.org/news/2012/04/natural-selection-still-us.
Soons, Joris, Anthony Herrel, Annelies Genbrugge, Peter Aerts, Jeffrey Podos, Dominique
Adriaens, Yoni De Witte, Patric Jacobs, and Joris Dirckx. “Mechanical Stress, Fracture Risk and
Beak Evolution in Darwin’s Ground Finches (Geospiza).” Philosophical Transactions of the
Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. The Royal Society, 12 Apr. 2010. Web. 06 Feb. 2016.