Evolution and Natural Selection 

                                    Name:  Inaaya Moeed 

 
Student Directions 
 
Evolution Scientific investigation: Natural Selection Models 
In this project, you will research and describe an observed example of natural selection.
You will create a model to predict how the population might change if a new selective
pressure were introduced  
 
 
 Choose one example of natural selection to investigate. Some examples of observed cases of
natural selection include (but are not limited to): 
o A bacteria population's response to antibiotics (e.g., antibiotic resistant staphylococcus). 
o An insect population's response to pesticides (e.g., mosquito and DDT). 
o The Galapagos finches' response to changing environmental conditions. 
o A mussel population's response to the introduction of the Asian shore crab. 
o The response of an HIV strain to antiviral drugs.  
o A peppered moth population's response to pollution (i.e., industrial melanism). 
 
 
Research your specific example of natural selection to better understand how and why the
population has changed over time. Organize your information into the presentation
format. 
 
 Evolution and Natural Selection

Name: Inaaya Moeed  

Performance Task: Project Planning Guide 
 
 
Part 1: Research 
 
A) Example of observed case of natural selection:   
-An example of natural selection is the Deer mouse, where glaciers dropped lighter sand over the darker
soil the mice were lighter whereas, in Nebraska this mouse is usually brown. 
 
B) Research Notes:  (focus on how and why the population changed over time) 
 Step by step explanation of how a population can change over time, using your
example 
 Description of inherited variation within the population 
 Explanation of why some individuals are better able to survive and produce
offspring 
 A description of the adaptation that is being favored by natural selection. 
 Data to support explanations 
 
N O T E S :
 

 
-The population changed over time as the dark mouse  
-The inherited variation within the population is the fur color of
in Nebraska could be easily spotted by predators  
the mice, it inherited light color fur.
against the light-colored sand, while the light-colored  
mouse could effortlessly camouflage in the light-  
colored sand, thus having a greater chance of survival.  
Since the great number of light-colored mice, they  
reproduce and their offspring inherit the light color.  
The mice evolve overtime to become lighter. Some  individuals are able to survive better
  they are naturally selected, in a way
because
 
nature has favored them, like the light mice
 
were able to camouflage better in the light sand
 
therefore they survived better and produced off
 
springs.
 
 
 
 
 Part 2: Develop 
Develop a hypothesis to explain how natural selection would affect the population you
studied if a new selective pressure were introduced. 
 
A) New selective pressure:  
selective pressure is a reason for organisms with a certain feature have either a survival benefit
or a disadvantage. 
(Keep in mind that new selective pressures often arise from changes in the environment in
which the population lives. Discuss your groups’ ideas with your teacher before proceeding to
the next step.) 
 
-A) selective pressure: The tides increasing due to global warming making it harder for birds to
catch fish. 
 
B) Hypothesis:    
Create a model to explain step-by-step how the population might change over time (your
hypothesis). The model can take many forms: graph, diagram, 3-D manipulative, flow chart,
computer simulation, digital animation, etc. However, the model should meet the following
criteria: It should be: 1) realistic, 2) based upon data, 3) explanatory, and 4) predictive. 

Flow Chart: 
      H     Y     P     O     T     H     E     S     I     S 

-My hypothesis is that the higher the tides because of global warming the harder it
is for the birds to catch fish, therefore I think the birds with the longer and sharper
beak will have a better chance of catching fish than compared to the birds with
shorter beak.

3-The birds with not so

4-The
1-The tides will increase due only birds easily surviving are the ones with long beak will have a
2-Only birds with long and sharp
a longer beak which enables them to reach in the 5-The population
to global warming and it will harder oftime
birdscatching
with shorter and
beaks will be able to catch fish more
be harder for birds to catchsea and catch the fish and their sharp beak easily blunt beak have a very less
fish, consequentlychance
theyof
fish. catches the prey and thrusting them so it can be catching fishmay and not
surviving hence their
survive
consumed as a whole, accordingly they will population will decreasepopulation)
(decreased while the birds with
reproduce and will pass this feature to their sharper and longer beaks have a higher
offspring (the offspring will inherent the feature) chance of survival, they are inversely
  proportional.