The Role of Competition & Adaptation in Survival
Survival of the Fittest Simulation Lab
Name _________________________________
INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND
Observation:
Organisms are born with different adaptations to survive in their unique environments. When competition for
food resources increases, the organisms with the better adaptations will survive and reproduce, thus passing
on the beneficial trait to offspring.
Questions:
a) Which adaptation makes an organism most fit?
b) Which adaptation is better in this environment, structural or behavioral?
Background Info:
To be “fit” in an environment means that the individual is able to survive and produce more offspring than the
other organisms of the same species. Usually the most fit species have the adaptations that help it survive
better than the others. The phrase, “Survival of the Strongest,” is actually a bad way to say it. Being “fit” has
nothing to do with being “strong.” It all comes down to how well adapted you are to survive and pass your
genes on in an environment.
1. What is wrong with the phrase, “Survival of the Strongest?”
2. What makes something more able to survive?
DIRECTIONS
1. All of the students in the classroom will be “birds” for this experiment. Each bird will have a different
type of beak (adaptation) to catch its food. Each bird will also have a specific food requirement. Some
birds will be picky and some birds will be less picky.
2. You will be given an envelope with your adaptation and the food you can eat.
3. The object is to bring 10 food items to your nest (cup) for you to survive and produce offspring. The
more food you get, the more offspring your produce.
4. RULES: (Note: breaking a rule will result in a 0 on this lab)
a)
You CANNOT catch prey from the same spot two consecutive times!
b)
You must pick your prey out of the container USING YOUR UTENSIL ONLY - NO HANDS!
c)
You may only carry ONE prey back at a time with your utensil!
d)
You may not STEAL prey from another animal.
Class Results:
Beak Type
Food
Food Caught
Requirement
Survived
(Yes/No)
Number of
Offspring
Analysis Questions:
When answering these questions, be sure to refer to the class data to support your answers.
1) Which beak type seems to be the most fit for this environment? How can you tell?
2) Which food requirement seems to be the most fit? How can you tell?
3) What is the best combination of beak type and food requirement?
4) Which adaptation is more important, food type, or beak type? How do you know?
5) Predict what would happen if we continued to play the game for several generations, how
would the population change over time?
6) Explain the difference between the phrases, “Survival of the Fittest,” and “Survival of the
Strongest.” Which is better, to be fit or to be strong? Explain why.