Practice: Analyzing Natural Selection by Emily Amodei

Natural Selection of Worms

amodeiemily — 2024-04-11 14:33:13 UTC

There are two types of worms: worms that eat at night (nocturnal) and worms that eat during the day (diurnal). The birds eat during the day and seem to be eating only the diurnal worms since the nocturnal worms are in their burrows during this time. Each spring when the worms reproduce they have about 500 offspring, but only 100 of these 500 ever become old enough to reproduce.

Natural Selection of Polar Bears

amodeiemily — 2024-04-11 14:35:31 UTC

There are three types of polar bears: ones with thick coats, ones with thin coats, and ones with medium coats. It is fall, soon to be winter. The temperatures are dropping rapidly and the bears must be kept warm, or they will freeze to death. Many of the bears have had 2 cubs each, but due to the extreme temperatures, many mothers only have one cub left.

Natural Selection of Ostriches

amodeiemily — 2024-04-11 14:38:19 UTC

In ostriches, there are two types: ones that run fast and those that run slow. The fast birds can reach up to 40 miles per hour. Jackals love to eat ostrich, and they can reach speeds of up to 35-40 miles per hour. A flock of ostriches will lay approximately 10 eggs (each mother only lays 1), but many rodents break into the eggs and eat the young before they hatch leaving only about half the number.

Natural Selection of Rabbits

amodeiemily — 2024-04-11 14:40:10 UTC

There are two types of rabbits: those that strictly eat grass and those that strictly eat berries and flowers. A drought occurs one year, and the plants have difficulty producing any extras (flowers, berries, etc.). They can only try and keep themselves green. The rabbits have had babies all year long, approximately 14 in all, but nearly half are eaten by foxes or hawks. Due to droughts, many also starve to death.

Natural Selection of Deer

amodeiemily — 2024-04-11 14:45:46 UTC

There are two types of deer: the twilight deer and the dawn deer. Twilight deer are active and grazing during dusk and night, while dawn deer are active and grazing during the dawn and daytime. Wolves primarily hunt during the dusk and nighttime hours. Each spring, both types of deer reproduce rapidly. A female deer typically gives birth to a litter of 2-3 fawns. However, out of every 100 deer born in the spring, only about 20 reach maturity and become adults capable of reproducing.