Exploring Fitness and Population Change under Selection: Avida-Ed Lab Book Exercise 3
Author(s): Amy Lark, Cory Kohn1, Jim Smith1, Louise Mead2, Robert T Pennock1, Wendy Johnson
1. Michigan State University 2. BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action
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Summary:
An introductory activity exploring the process of natural selection in action using the Avida-ED simulation.
Contents:
Avida-ED Exercise 3 Data Collection.xlsx
Avida-ED Exercise 3.docxDescription
Observe the process of natural selection in action: beneficial mutations will randomly occur for some individuals, these mutant organisms will have a greater fitness due to their adaptation to the environment and will tend to increase in frequency in the population over successive generations.
Student Learning Goals
- Students will be able to explain the concept of fitness as used in biology, and that an organism’s fitness may change, depending upon its environment.
- Students will be able to explain the process of adaptation by natural selection, leading to genetic frequency change in a population over many generations.
- Students will be able to explain that natural selection is non-random.
Cite this work
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
- Amy Lark, Kohn, C., Smith, J., Mead, L., Pennock, R. T., Wendy Johnson (2020). Exploring Fitness and Population Change under Selection: Avida-Ed Lab Book Exercise 3. Avida-ED Active LENS, QUBES Educational Resources. doi:10.25334/N8QM-MS64