Influencing Natural Selection

Influencing Natural Selection

BIO/101

Influencing Natural Selection
Introduction/Purpose
The purpose of this experiment is to test the hypothesis that small bird’s physical characteristics can greatly impact their species population growth over time. Using the Finch as a test subject for multiple trial runs on a simulated computer system we can alter the characteristics of the finch and run diagnostics for two completely different locations and set of experiments. This simultaneous testing and comparison will either prove or disprove the hypothesis that small bird’s physical characteristics can greatly impact their population growth. The base line for this comparison will be two islands …show more content…

Data Each experiment yielded different results; however, they reflected much of the same outcome: one population showing far greater population growth and sustainment through the first 100 years. Below is a chart which depicts the population growth of the finch birds for population A1 (labeled in red) and population B1 (labeled in blue). Chart retrieved from Evolution Lab (2012). As seen in the graph above the finch with the larger beak in the initial experiment did in fact show a greater rate of population growth with far less pit falls, thus showing greater population sustainment through the first 100 years. However, island B did show that there might be a chance in the longer period of time for the population B1 to catch up to the first population thus showing larger beaks do not improve population growth but excelerate it within a shorter time line. To see how this plays out we must see the results from experiment two. The graph below reflects the results and population growth of the finch birds from both islands with the same inputs but over a 200 year period instead of 100 years as in experiement numer 1.

Two hundred years of sustained growth by both popualations as shown in the graph above will prove that initial larger beak size of a finch population give the same peramiters to live in will only reflect greater population growth at an excellerated rate for a specific time period give the peramiters of the experiment. Furthermore, in this