Procedures
From the lab kit, find the piece of colored fabric and pieces of colored foam. Open the fabric and spread it out on a flat surface. Using the paper hole punch and punch template from the lab kit, punch out 30 dots from each of the 10 colors of foam.
Each colored circle represents an individual rabbit of the type known as Rabbiticus hopquickus. A starting population of 100 rabbits that live in a meadow will be used in this experiment. The experimenter will assume the role of a coyote of the type known as Coyotus predacious. Coyotus predacious like nothing better than to feast on a choice specimen of Rabbiticus hopquickus. Normally, the only death in the population of Rabbiticus is due to predation by Coyotus predacious. The piece of fabric simulates a meadow on the island of Darwinia, the only island on which both Rabbiticus hopquickus and Coyotus predacious have been seen. Variations of individuals are characteristic of organisms of the same species.
Begin the simulation by placing 100 rabbits (10 dots each of 10 different colored circles) into a cup. Mix them up by shaking or inverting the container. Scatter the rabbits randomly over the surface of meadow (the fabric).
Begin the simulation. Donât stare at the distribution of the dots on the fabric, but rather look away until ready to begin. Begin by turning toward the fabric and use the forceps to pick up the first dot (rabbit) that stands out. The rabbits (dots) picked up are those that are easiest to see. After a rabbit is selected, immediately look away from the fabric. The captured rabbits should be brought to the coyote den (the cup). Repeat this procedure until a total of 75 rabbits have been captured, remembering to look away from the meadow after each capture. Twenty-five rabbits should remain in the meadow. The object is to capture the rabbit that is first observed when looking at the fabric.
Gently shake the meadow and collect the 25 surviving rabbits. These are the rabbits that will produce the second generation. Divide them into piles according to color. Rabbiticus hopquickus is noted to have both male and female reproductive organs in the same individual and thus can fertilize itself. Each surviving rabbit will now reproduce. For each dot, use the hole punch to cut out an additional three circles (baby rabbits) that are the same color as the parent. Record the number of rabbits of each color in a chart similar to the chart provided, below. Put all of the rabbits (100 total) into the plastic cup, shake them, and disperse them at random on the meadow.
Simulate two more generations of Rabbiticus by repeating Steps 4 and 5 two more times. Keep track of the numbers of each kind of rabbit by making a chart like the one below. The only difference is that a total of 10 colors should be recorded in the chart.
When finished with the last round of predation and reproduction, count the color and number of each of the 25 surviving rabbits. Then multiply each number by four to get back to 100 rabbits.
Assume surviving rabbits are all yellow.
Could this population adapt to a new environment where the predominant color is purple? (2 points)
Why did the results come out the way they did? Explain why all of the colors of rabbits did not end up with the same population size. The explanation here should demonstrate an understanding of natural selection.
