Description

In this exercise students will think through the most logical speciation pathway from an initial [extinct] colonizing species to the [extant] currently observed species. Students are provided a table species and their traits as well as information on whether the species is extinct or not. The student takes on the role of a biologist deducing the speciation pathway from the fossil record and current observations. This active learning exercise takes approximately 45 minutes in a non-science major introductory level courses but could be easily adapted to a shorter upper division science majors course or introductory level non-science majors course. Prior assigned readings as well as a short overview of speciation and island biogeography tend to aid students in the assignment (especially in a non-majors course).

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