Natural selection
...xperiment. As stated before their white color made them easy to spot out. Browns and blacks blended in with the ground. 5. Which predator group appears to be the best adapted to feeding on this prey population? The hands were the best adapted with the best feeding tools. They were able to collect the most food each generation and increase each generation. 6. What might have contributed to the failure of the extinct predator groups to survive? The fork was an unnatural part of the experiment, it gave us difficulty with our grip. It ended up getting caught in the grass a lot. They also weren’t easy to scoop with even when they weren’t getting caught in the grass. The eyesight of the predator group also was a factor. 7. Why did we double the number of beans that were left uncollected? Each generation in all of our experiments have met the ideal growth rate and doubled in size each year. 8. How might conducting this exercise in a different habitat or during a different season have altered the results? If the season were different then the beans would have blended in better or not as well. If snow had been on the ground then the white would have been better adapted. The brown and the black beans would have stuck out. 9. How does this exercise relate to predators and prey found in nature? How might a group of organisms in nature avoid extinction due to competition? This shows how size and color of prey help or hinder their survival. It also helps think about the seasons and why animals have fewer members in certain seasons. It doesn’t account for the speed of the animal or ability but it helps us get a general understanding of issue that face survival for a species. 10. Write a statement about the experience, pointing out how it illustrates the elements of natural selection in both predator and prey populations. The preys with the better coloring were able to survive longer. I found that the size of the bean did not really affect their survival though. The...