1. Natural Selection for a Structural Adaptation
Beanie Bunny Lab
Natural Selection for a
Structural Adaptation

2. Activity 1: Preview the Lab
Read the introduction for the lab on page 353 of the Voyagers textbook.
Natural Selection = Darwin’s theory of evolution, which says that organisms with traits, adaptations, best suited to their environments are likely to survive and reproduce.
Lab Purpose: To model the effect natural selection has on a structural adaptation within a population with and without a predator.

3. 3. Materials paper bag with “Bunny Gene Pool” written on it red beans
white beans

4. 4. Structural Adaptation Genetics: Fur color
In our model, the color of the rabbits’ fur is an incomplete dominance situation:
Genotype
Phenotype
red bean x red bean (RR)
reddish brown bunny
white bean x white bean (rr)
white bean
red bean x white bean (Rr)
gray bean

5. 5. Environmental Description
Temperate Forest
Round 1: Assume there are NO predators.
Look at all those greens!
Yummy!
Nom Nom

6. 5. Environmental Description
Temperate Forest
Round 2: Predators!
What does the fox say?
0% survive Oh
crap!
100%
I like this lab!
Only a 50% chance?

7. Okay, back to science. 
Round 1  no predators
Round 2  Predators!!

8. Round 1 – No Pedators
1. Place 10 red bean and 10 white beans in the bag to create a bunny gene pool. 2. Without looking, reach into the bag and draw out 2 beans. 3. Record the genotype and phenotype of the off-spring in Table 1 (see back). 4. Put the beans back into gene pool after each cross since ALL rabbits survive to reproduce. 5. Repeat steps for 25 rounds. 6. Calculate the percentages of each phenotype after 25 crosses.

9. Round 2: Predators
1. Place 10 red bean and 10 white beans in the bag to create a bunny gene pool.
2. Without looking, reach into the bag and draw out 2 beans.
3. Record the genotype and phenotype of the off-spring in Table 2 (see back).
4. If both red, put both red beans back in the gene pool. If 2 white beans, put them in the discard cup. If one red and one white, then put both beans back in the bag 50% of the time.
5. Repeat steps for 25 rounds.
6. Calculate the percentages of each phenotype after 25 crosses.

10. Conclusions:
What effect did the protective coloration adaptation have on the population in the control (no predators) environment have?
What effect did the protective coloration adaptation have on the population in the test environment?

11. http://animal. discovery
true-and-freaky/videos/outback-rabbit- invasion.htm