Natural Selection

Understandings:
  • Natural selection can only occur if there is variation among members of the same species.
Mutation, meiosis and sexual reproduction cause variation between individuals in a species.
Adaptations are characteristics that make an individual suited to its environment and way of life.
  • Species tend to produce more offspring than the environment can support.
Individuals that are better adapted tend to survive and produce more offspring while the less well adapted tend to die or produce fewer offspring.
  • Individuals that reproduce pass on characteristics to their offspring.
Natural selection increases the frequency of characteristics that make individuals better adapted and decreases the frequency of other characteristics leading to changes within the species.
Use this simulation to change variables that affect natural selection on guppies.

​Play this game to see if your species can live? FUN!
Application:  Evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
Application: Changes in beaks of finches on Daphne Major.

The following video shows the evolution and  the origin of the finch species Darwin discovered on the Galapagos Islands.  Actual film with beautiful island scenery and birds.