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Introduction
Different
individuals
in
a
population
have
different
characteristics.
This
is
known
as
variation.
Some
of
the
variations
in
characteristics
can
be
inherited
by
a
parents
offspring;
and
they
are
called
heritable
characteristics.
Some
characteristics
make
individuals
better
at
surviving
and
reproducing
than
others.
Fitness
refers
to
the
ability
to
survive
and
produce
offspring
that
are
capable
of
reproducing.
The
specific
characteristics
that
contribute
to
fitness
will
differ
in
different
environments.
A
characteristic
that
increases
an
individuals
fitness
is
called
an
adaptation.
Notice
that
biologists
use
the
terms
adaptation
and
fitness
to
have
different
meanings
other
than
the
common
meanings
of
these
words
in
everyday
language.
Living
things
that
are
well
adapted
to
their
environment
survive
and
reproduce,
while
those
that
are
not
well
adapted
do
not.
An
adaptation
is
considered
any
characteristic
that
increases
fitness,
which
is
the
ability
to
survive
and
reproduce.
Heritable
adaptive
characteristics
become
more
common
in
a
population
over
many
generations.
This
process
is
called
evolution
by
natural
selection.
Evolution
by
natural
selection
is
a
gradual
process
that
takes
place
over
many,
many
generations.
Evolution
by
natural
selection
results
in
changes
in
the
frequency
of
characteristics
and
alleles
or
genes
within
a
population,
and
not
changes
in
an
individual.
Which
characteristics
are
adaptive
and
how
a
population
evolves
depends
on
what
kind
of
environment
the
population
is
in.
The
same
population
will
evolve
differently
if
placed
in
a
different
environment.
Organisms
are
not
evolving
to
some
pre-ordained
perfection
but
are
evolving
to
maximum
fitness
in
a
given
environment.
Instuctions:
1. Study
figures
1-
3
below,
then
answer
the
questions
using
these
figures:
a) Is
the
population
of
mice
found
in
figure
1
different
that
the
population
of
mice
found
in
figure
3?
Explain
why.
Yes
it
is
different,
because
a
predator
just
passed
by
and
caught
its
prey
(the
mice)
b) What
characteristic
of
the
mice
is
an
adaptation
that
increased
their
fitness?
That
they
hide,
or
they
camouflaged
with
their
color.
2. Using
your
observation
of
figures
1-3,
apply
the
scientific
method
to
do
the
following
a) Write
an
investigation
problem:
An
eagle
is
looking
for
prey
and
it
finds
a
community
of
mice.
From
the
floor,
we
can
infer
that
they
are
on
a
beach-like
environment.
There
are
4
tan
mice
and
4
white
mice,
the
4
tan
mice
have
better
fitness
since
they
adapt
to
their
environment
camouflaging
from
the
predators.
b) State
your
hypothesis:
The
eagle
wont
find
the
tan
mice
as
easy
as
the
white
ones,
so
he
will
catch
the
white
ones
easier
than
the
tan
ones,
since
the
tan
ones
has
better
fitness
since
their
fur
helps
them.
c) Define
the
variables:
a. Independent:
Color
of
nice
b. Dependent:
The
number
of
mice
c. Controlled:
Color
of
soil
3. The
table
below
gives
descriptions
of
four
female
mice
that
live
on
a
beach
that
is
mostly
tan
sand
with
scattered
plants:
Using
the
table
above,
answer
the
following
questions:
Fur
color
black
tan
cream
Age of death
2 months
8 months
4 months
2 months
#
of
pups
produced
by
each
female
11
Running speed
8 cm/sec.
6 cm/sec.
7 cm/sec.
5cm/sec
a) According
to
the
definition
of
fitness,
which
mouse
would
biologists
consider
the
fittest?
Explain
why.
The
ones
with
tan
fur,
because
they
live
up
to
8
months
of
life
span,
they
produce
up
to
11
pups
and
can
run
a
velocity
of
6
cm
per
second
and
also
their
fur
can
help
the
camouflage.
2
b) If
the
mouses
fur
color
is
generally
similar
to
its
mothers
color,
what
color
fur
would
be
most
common
among
the
pups?
Tan.
4. Below
is
a
series
of
pictures
representing
changes
in
a
population
of
cacti.
Pictures
1
and
2
show
what
happened
when
a
deer
came
to
eat,
picture
3
shows
the
cacti
a
few
weeks
later
(notice
the
flowers
on
the
right-hand
cactus),
and
picture
4
shows
the
situation
a
few
months
later.
Use
these
pictures
to
answer
the
following
questions:
a) One
characteristic
that
is
necessary
for
natural
selection
to
take
place
is
variation
in
characteristics
within
the
population.
In
picture
1,
what
is
the
main
difference
between
the
cactus
on
the
left
and
the
cactus
on
the
right?
The
thorns
that
the
one
in
the
right
has,
can
harm
the
deer,
so
the
one
with
the
thorns
is
more
likely
to
survive,
using
the
thorns
as
a
protective
method
to
increase
its
life
span.
b) Another
characteristic
necessary
for
natural
selection
to
take
place
is
differences
in
survival
and
reproduction
fitness.
Why
would
a
deer
be
more
likely
to
eat
the
cactus
on
the
left
than
the
cactus
on
the
right?
Because,
the
cactus
in
the
left
wont
harm
the
deer
since
it
has
no
thorns,
in
comparison
with
the
one
in
the
right,
which
has
thorns,
a
protective
method
that
protects
it
from
predators
since
they
are
harmful
for
the
predators.
c) What
effect
does
the
deers
behavior
have
on
the
survival
and
reproduction
of
these
two
types
of
cactus?
Its
instinct
tells
it
to
eat
the
one
on
the
left
since
eating
the
one
on
the
right
will
harms
it.
Another
characteristic
necessary
for
natural
selection
to
take
place
is
the
heritability
of
characteristics
from
parent
to
offspring.
The
difference
between
the
cacti
is
a
heritable
characteristic
(see
picture
4).
Do
you
think
that
evolution
by
natural
selection
is
occurring
in
this
population?
Explain
why
or
why
not.
Yes,
because
the
cactus
on
the
right
has
thorns,
which
helps
it
survive
and
prevents
it
from
being
hunted
by
predators
because
they
will
be
harmed
by
the
thorns.
Meanwhile,
the
one
on
the
left
is
weaker
and
is
more
likely
to
be
eaten
by
them
since
it
has
no
protection.
Evaluation
Criteria
Interpretation
of
figures
1-3
The
investigation
problem,
hypothesis
and
variables
were
all
correct
and
were
appropriate
for
the
information
given
in
the
figures.
The
investigation
problem,
hypothesis
and
variables
had
some
mistakes,
but
were
appropriate
for
the
information
given
in
the
figures.
The
investigation
problem,
hypothesis
and
variables
had
some
mistakes,
and
were
not
appropriate
for
the
information
given
in
the
figures.
Data interpretation
Both
questions
pertaining
to
the
data
chart
were
answered
correctly
None
of
the
questions
pertaining
to
the
data
chart
were
answered
correctly.
Understanding the
All questions
Some of the
None of the
conditions
necessary
for
natural
selection
to
take
place
pertaining
to
natural
selection
were
answered
correctly.
questions
pertaining
to
natural
selection
were
answered
correctly.
questions
pertaining
to
natural
selection
were
answered
correctly.
Team work