It s Not Fair! A Simulation of the Roles of Mutation & Chance in Natural Selection Rules of the Game. All players begin as a salamander. 2. Before each round, each player picks 2 mutations. 3. Each mutation is permanent. 4. Some mutations will replace [others].. Some mutations require previous (mutations). 6. After mutations are chosen, an environmental change is randomly picked. Scoring. Each student begins with points. 2. If an environmental change is beneficial, +. 3. If an environmental change is detrimental, -.. All players begin as a salamander from the same population, living in a moist, land habitat 2. Description Your characteristics 3. Reproduction Color red Skin moist, soft Size cm/6 Diet invertebrates Body temperature cold blooded Attracts mate by smell Mates on land Lays eggs in shallow pools of water Does not care for young in any way 4. Behavior Does not hibernate Rests at night in holes in the ground, under logs, or wherever it can find some shelter Mute (no vocalizations). Physiology Low endurance must rest after moving continuously for several minutes Weak swimmer is carried away by a current flowing faster than half a mile per hour Moves slowly on land and cannot jump Body and eggs absorb salts from salt water so it cannot survive in a saltwater environment 6. Habitat Forested regions bordered by a large river. There are many other organisms. Winters are not severe; snow rarely accumulates. What did you learn about the relationships among mutations, changes in the environment, & natural selection? Mutations are RANDOM. Mutations can be helpful or harmful depending on its environment. Organisms cannot biologically adapt to the environment after they are born. Lab Report - on a separate sheet In your own words come up with your own Purpose & Procedure Data include your data table from the simulation Draw of picture of your beginning and ending animal Analysis Questions answer them in complete sentences (see handout) Round # Mutation(s) Mutation Description(s) Environmental Change Points () 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 0 Dryer skin Reddish brown color Example
Mutations Round Round 6 Round 2 Round 7 Round 3 Round 8 Round 4 Round 9 Round Round 0 (requires) Round [replaces]. Dryer skin. Develops brown pigment, producing reddish brown color [8, 0] 9. Develops green pigment, producing green spots [6, 8]. 6. Develops bright orange coloration () 7. Adds canines, allowing consumption of larger prey 27. Develops a protective covering on eggs 34. Changes in circulation & muscle physiology increase endurance (2) Round 2 7. Develops white pigment, producing spotted white coloration [cancels 6, 0] 0. Increases green pigment, producing solid green color (9) 4. Skin becomes impermeable to salts found in salt water 6. Develops bright orange coloration () 9. Develops claws (must have limbs) 27. Develops a protective covering on eggs 29. Develops pigment in egg shell, which acts as a camouflage (27) 30. Cares for eggs & young Round 3 2. Develops scales () 2. Changes in pigmentation allow rapid color changes, such as those occurring in chameleons (, 9) [cancels ] 20. Develops a longer tongue, which allows the organism to catch flying insects 26. Burrows, nesting under ground (9) 30. Cares for young after eggs hatch 33. Uses voice to attract mates [replaces scent used to attract mate] 34. Changes in circulation & muscle physiology increase endurance (2) Round 4 6. Increases brown pigment, producing solid brown color () 8. Increases white pigment, producing solid white color (7). Seasonal color changes (, 7, or 9) [cancels 7] 7. Develops canines, allowing consumption of larger prey 9. Develops claws (must have limbs) 23. Builds a den/nest (28) 29. Develops pigment in egg shall, which acts as a camouflage (27) 3. Becomes a marsupial (30) 38. Loses limbs [cancels 3, 36, 37, 39] 4. Lives in water continually (3) Round. Dryer skin 4. Develops cryoprotectant chemicals. Develops brown pigment, producing reddish brown color [cancels 8, 0] 3. Variety in pigment so that mates are attracted by coloring (, 7, or 9) [replaces use of scent to attract a mate so scent is lost] 6. Develops bright orange coloration () 24. Spends part of its waking hours in trees (9) 32. Carries young to term (30) 34. Changes in circulation & muscle physiology increase endurance (2) Round 6 2. Develops scales () 4. Skin becomes impermeable to salts found in salt water 9. Develops claws 20. Develops a longer tongue, which allows the organism to catch flying insects 26. Burrows, nesting under ground (9 & 28) 30. Cares for young after eggs hatch 33. Uses voice to attract mates [replaces scent used to attract mate] 37. Develops stronger leg muscles Round 7 6. Increases brown pigment, producing solid brown color () 7. Develops white pigment, producing spotted white coloration [cancels 6, 0] 0. Increases green pigment, producing solid green color (9). Seasonal color changes (, 7, or 9) [cancels 7] 7. Adds canines, allowing consumption of larger prey 8. Develops larger canines, allowing consumption of larger prey (7) 23. Builds a den/nest (28) 24. Spends part of its waking hours in trees (9) 32. Carries young to term (30) 38. Loses limbs [cancels 3, 36, 37, 39] Round 8 4. Develops cryoprotectant chemicals 8. Increases white pigment, producing solid white color (7) 9. Develops green pigment, producing green spots [cancels 6, 8] 9. Develops claws 29. Develops pigment in egg shall, which acts as a camouflage (27) 3. Becomes a marsupial (30) 34. Changes in circulation & muscle physiology increase endurance (2) 37. Develops stronger leg muscles 4. Lives in water continually (3)
2. Develops scales () Round 9. Develops brown pigment, producing reddish brown color [cancels 8, 0] 3. Variety in pigment so that mates are attracted by coloring (, 7, or 9) [replaces use of scent to attract a mate so scent is lost] 33. Uses voice to attract mates [replaces scent used to attract mate] Round 0 3. Variety in pigment so that mates are attracted by coloring (, 7, or 9) [replaces use of scent to attract a mate so scent is lost] 4. Skin becomes impermeable to salts found in salt water 36. Leg length 2x, producing longer legs in proportion to body size, allowing organism to flee from some predators (34) Environmental Changes 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 0 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 20 Flies begin to be seen in the area. Helps (+) those who have developed longer tongues (20). Hurts nobody Temperatures drop where temperatures are now consistently below freezing and snow accumulates. Hurts all except 4 or 2(+) (Cryoprotectants or warm-blooded) 2 Drought! Small pools dry up and the river level drops 2 feet. Hurts those without 28, 3, 32. (Lays eggs on land, become a marsupial, carries young to term) 3 Humans collecting exotic pets are collecting salamanders with bright colors. Hurts those who have bright orange colorations (6). 4 A population of freshwater carnivorous turtles moves into the river. Ok, if your eggs are laid on land (28), toxic skin (), toxic eggs (3). Hurts those who lives in water continually (4). -2 if your size has been increased (4 & 40) A population of freshwater fish that eats eggs laid in the water moves into the river. Ok, if eggs laid on land (28) or toxic eggs (3). Helps those with canines (7,8). 6
7 8 9 Sewage dumped into the river contaminates the river. Hurts all especially those who live in the water continually (4). Ok, if eggs are laid on land (28), have protective covering (27), dryer skin (). FLOOD! Washes away regions near the river. Ok, if you spend time in trees (24). Parasitic wasps lay their eggs in eggs of other animals. Ok, if eggs have protective covering (27). Helps those who have long tongues (20). Toads move into the area. They eat small animals. Ok, if you can move faster (36), have toxic skin (), in trees (24), or are bigger than 8 (40). Helps if has canines to eat larger prey (7 or 8). 0 Hawks migrate into the area. Ok, if you have camouflage (0, 2, 29), nesting underground (26), nocturnal (22) or toxic skin (). DROUGHT! Small pools dry up & river levels drop 2 feet. Ok, if eggs laid on land (28), marsupial (3), carries young to term (32), dry skin (). 2 Rival male salamanders enter the area & competes for females. Hurts all unless... helps if attracts mates with voice(33) or coloration (only 3). 3 Snakes move into area. Snakes locate their prey by warmer body temperatures. OK if longer limbs (36) Hurts those who are warm blooded (2). -2 if increase size without longer limbs (36) 4 Weasel moves into the region; Weasels locate their prey by scent. Ok, if attracts mate by coloration (3) or by voice (33). Or if toxic skin (). Or if water full time (4). Helps those who consume large prey (7) & larger (40).
6 7 8 Pharmaceutical company are collecting salamanders with toxins. Hurts those with toxic eggs (3), toxic skin (), bright coloration (6) Meteor Impact! Hurts everyone. Period of intense fires! Ok, if burrows underground (26). Hurts everyone else especially those in trees (24), eggs on land (28) Period of intense volcanic eruptions! Hurts everyone. 9 Period of intense flooding! Ok, if in trees (24), skin impermeable to salt water (4) or develop fins (3). 20 Questions. How different had your salamander evolved from it original state? Describe. 2. Describe the ideal environment for your salamander at its evolved state. 3. What mutation(s) was most helpful to your organism? Most detrimental? 4. What environmental change(s) was most helpful to your organism? Most detrimental?. What aspects of this simulation are just like evolution in the real world? 6. What aspects of this simulation are NOT like how evolution works in the real world?