Name:

Date: _____

Period:

Peppered moth simulation

Objectives: To describe the importance of coloration in avoiding predation and relate environmental change to changes in organisms. To explain how natural selection causes populations to change Materials Sheet of white paper and newspaper Forceps Clock with Second Hand 30 newspaper circles 30 white circles (made with hole punch) Purpose In this lab, you will simulate how predators locate prey in different environments. You will analyze how color affects and organism's ability to survive in certain environments. Industrial Melanism is a term used to describe the adaptation of a population in response to pollution. One example of rapid industrial melanism occurred in populations of peppered moths in the area of Manchester, England from 1845 to 1890. Before the industrial revolution, the trunks of the trees in the forest around Manchester were light grayish-green due to the presence of lichens. Most of the peppered moths in the area were light colored with dark spots. As the industrial revolution progressed, the treee trunks became covered with soot and turned dark. Over a period of 45 years, the dark variety of the peppered moth became more common. Procedure: 1. Place a sheet of white paper on the table and have one person spread 30 white circles and 30 newspaper circles over the surface while the other person isn't looking. 2. The "predator" will then use forceps to pick up as many of the circles as he can in 15 seconds. 3. The number that are left are doubled to represent the next generation

Name:

Date: _____

Period:

Peppered moth simulation

4. This trial will be repeated with white circles on a newspaper background, newspaper circles on a white background, and newspaper circles on a newspaper background. Record the data in chart below. Populations on White Background Starting Population Generation 1 2 3 Populations on Newspaper Background Starting Population Generation 1 2 3 Newspaper 10 White 10 Final Populations Newspaper White Newspaper 10 White 10 Final Populations Newspaper White

Analysis 1. Describe how the population of moths changed in each generation for both the newspaper and the white moths. 2. What moth coloration is the best adaptation for a dark (newspaper) background? How do you know? 3. Explain how natural selection played a part in the change in your moth population over time.

Name:

Date: _____

Period:

Peppered moth simulation

4. Examine the table and construct a graph. Plot the years of the study on the X-axis, and the number of moths captured on the Y axis. You should have 2 lines on your graph - one for light moths, and one for dark moths. Year 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 # of Light Moths Captured 537 484 392 246 225 193 147 84 56 # of Dark Moths Captured 112 198 210 281 337 412 503 550 599

5. Explain in your own words what the graph shows. What type of environment do you think these moths live in?

Name:

Date: _____

Period:

Peppered moth simulation

Lab Write up: Use the following outline as a guideline to what you should include in your formal lab report. The goal is to explain how natural selection occurs in populations using data to support your claims. Introduction: Must include an introduction and brief explanation of the lab, background information and the hypotheses of the simulation. Hypotheses: 1. Prior to the Industrial Revolution live the longest and reproduce because colored peppered moths will .

2. After the Industrial Revolution the ___________ colored peppered moth population will increase because .

Background information: 1. Define natural selection 2. Over time after natural selection repeatedly takes place, what does it eventually lead to in the population? And why? The population will. Procedures: Must be listed in a paragraph narrating how the simulation ran. Do not use first person (I, we, he/she). Can be presented in future or past tense but the tense must stay consistent. Example: In order to simulate the evolution of the peppered moth population in England the following materials were used: (fill in materials). First, first the. And in your own words explain how the simulation was run- be detailed the simulation should be reproducible.

Name:

Date: _____

Period:

Peppered moth simulation

Data/Observations:

Include both data table with a title and caption- A caption gives a small description of what the table shows. Example: Table 1. Population of Peppered Moths on a light background

INCLUDE THE TABLES OF DATA FROM THE ORIGNIAL SIMULATION PACKET

This table shows the change in the peppered moth population on a light background over 3 generations.

Then, you must include a WRITTEN DESCRIPTION of what you observed when participating in the lab. DO NOT EXPLAIN WHY here- that is for the analysis. Example: After generation 1, more newspaper colored pieces were collected than white colored pieces. As the generations continued the white colored peppered moth population continued to grow faster than the newspaper colored moth population.(and your explanation should continue to include all of the data.

Analysis: Here is where you include WHY. When explaining the data, reference your data. Example: The best adaptation for the environment prior to the Industrial Revolution was the light coloring of the moth. As shown by the data in table 1. Include the answers to your analysis questions 1-3. Explain the graph as well, and the answer to number 5.

Name:

Date: _____

Period:

Peppered moth simulation

Conclusion: Give brief summary of what occurred within the lab and how it related to natural selection. Explain if your hypotheses were correct; then explain why or why not. The conclusion should include extension of the topic, include the answer to the following questions in your conclusion: 1. What happens to animals that cannot compete as well with other animals in the wild? 2. What is one other real-life example of the peppered moth, where one species has a definite advantage over another? Explain what the adaptation was that caused the evolution of that species. 3. Sometimes animals that are introduced into an area that they never lived in before, out-compete and endanger resident species, why do you think this happens?