EVOLUTION CULMINATING TASK
You have been contracted by the Australian Paleontologist
Assembly (APA) in order to review the recent findings of Dr.
Tongchai and his team who have been working for the past five
years in the Australian outback. Dr. Tongchai and his research
team have reportedly identified a 4 foot tall carnivorous (meat
eating) prehistoric goose species in the Australian outback.
Furthermore, Dr. Tongchai has identified three skull types
located in different areas and strata of his dig site.
As an evolutionary biologist, you must analyze the information
provided by Dr. Tongchai and his team and write a report
detailing their and your findings. To aid you in your research,
the APA has asked that you address the following in your report:
1. Evidence has lead Dr. Tongchai and his research team to hypothesis that although
there was variation in skull size throughout the population of geese, the “appearance” of
the smallest skull size was in fact due to a genetic mutation. What evidence can you
find in your research that supports this claim? Also, if the smallest skull size was due to
a genetic mutation, describe what type of mutation needed to occur in order for the trait
to be passed on among different generations.
2. Based on the data that Dr. Tongchai and his research team have provided, determine
the mode of selection (stabilizing selection, disruptive selection, or directional selection),
type of isolation (geographic isolation or reproductive isolation) that has affected this
goose species.
3. Hypothesis why two different skull types have emerged in the population of geese in this
dig site. Could there be any environmental constraints that have caused these different
skull sizes?
To aid you in your efforts to successfully analyze all
the archeological data provided by Dr. Tongchai, an
outline has been provided that will ensure that all
pertinent information is detailed in your final report. If
you follow the outline provided, you will answer
all the questions that have been asked by the
APA. When you have finished working on the outline
and background information, you will include certain
graphs and paragraphs in your final report to present
to the APA.
Created by Lauren Honeycutt, Fremont Biology Science Lead Teacher, LAUSD
Appendix One: Pictorial Representation of Dr. Tongchai’s Dig Site
The following figure
represents Dr.
Tongchai’s dig site. Dr.
Tongchai had two
primary sites that he was
digging: site 1 is located
on the right side of the
Sydney River and site 2
is located on the left side
of the Sydney River.
The Sydney River was
formed approximately
two million years ago.
Appendix Two: Goose Skulls That Were Found at Dr. Tongchai’s Dig Site
Small Sized Skull
Medium Sized Skull Large Sized Skull
Appendix Three: Number of Goose Skulls Collected In Each Strata Of The Dig
Site. If there were not any skulls found in a particular strata, the number was
recorded as zero.
Fossils Collected from Site 1
MYA
0
(~10,000
years
ago)
1
2
3
Fossils Collected from Site 2
Sm.
Skull
Med.
Skull
Lg.
Skull
Total
0
2
16
0
304
233
140
93
0
57
240
342
304
292
396
435
MYA
0
(~10,000
years
ago)
1
2
3
Sm.
Skull
Med.
Skull
Lg.
Skull
Total
297
103
21
0
21
150
163
126
0
130
239
252
318
383
423
378
Created by Lauren Honeycutt, Fremont Biology Science Lead Teacher, LAUSD
Appendix Four: Environmental Report On Sites One and Two of Dig Site
In the dig site there were two main types of prehistoric skeletons found: those of
a large prehistoric rabbit-like herbivore that burrowed for shelter and a small
prehistoric mouse-like insectivore that did not appear to burrow.
Created by Lauren Honeycutt, Fremont Biology Science Lead Teacher, LAUSD
Part One: This part of the outline/background research will help you explain what
a mutation is and how a mutation in one individual could be passed on to its
offspring.
1. Define mutation in your own words: ______________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. Why are mutations important to understand when studying evolution?
(Hint: think variation) __________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. What type of mutation (a somatic mutation or a gametic mutation) could
be inherited by an individual’s offspring? Explain your answer.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4. Rewrite your answers to questions 2 and 3 in the form of a paragraph in
the box below. This paragraph will be used in your final report.
5. Remember that meiosis is the process of cell division that creates haploid
cells (male sperm and female eggs). Haploid cells are cells that only
contain one full copy of genetic information (rather than two copies which
are contained in diploid cells).
To the right is a picture of a
cell that is undergoing meiosis
cell division.
This picture of meiosis will
be used in your final report
as a graphic representation
of how a mutation can be
inherited by offspring. Draw
the chromosomes as they
would appear during meiotic
cell division. Remember to
draw the chromosomes are
they would appear after S
Phase of Interphase (when
DNA replicates).
Created by Lauren Honeycutt, Fremont Biology Science Lead Teacher, LAUSD
Part Two: In this part of the outline/background research you will be creating and
analyzing histograms comparing the “original population” dated 3 million years
ago to the “evolved population” dated 10,000 years ago. These histograms will
represent the total population of geese meaning that both site one and site two
will be included in the data.
Sm.
Med.
Lg.
1. To the right is a data table
MYA
Skull
Skull
Skull
that contains the number of
0
skulls found for the entire
(~10,000
dig site. Use this data to
years
create two histograms, one
ago)
297
325
0
of the “original population”
3
0
218
594
and one of the “evolved
population.” These graphs will be used in your final report.
Attachment 2
2.
Total
622
813
Analyze the histograms using OPTIC.
Overview:
Parts: x-axis ______________________
y-axis _______________________
first graph ___________________
____________________________
second graph ________________
____________________________
Title:
Interrelationships:
Conclusion:
3. What type of selection is represented by
the histograms (stabilizing, disruptive, or
directional)? Why?
_________________________________
_
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
Created by Lauren Honeycutt, Fremont Biology Science Lead Teacher, LAUSD
4. Based on the data provided by Dr. Tongchai, what type of isolation caused this
type of selection to occur (geographic or reproductive isolation)? Why?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
5. Rewrite your answers for the interrelationships and the conclusion for the
histogram that you created in the form of a paragraph. In addition to this
information, add your responses to questions three and four. This
paragraph will be used in your final report.
Part 3: In this part of the outline/background research, you will be investigating each
of Dr. Tongchai’s dig sites separately. The purpose of looking at the dig sites
separately is to determine the different selection pressures acting on the goose
population over time. Remember, there are three different skull types; one may
have been the result of a mutation but the changes in the different skull frequencies
must have been the result of natural selection.
0MYA
MYA
Sm.
Skull
Med.
Skull
Lg.
Skull
Total
0 (~10,000
years ago)
1
2
3
0
2
16
0
304
233
140
93
0
57
240
342
304
292
396
435
1MYA
Dig Site One
1. Use the data from dig site one to
determine the frequencies of the
different skulls found in the different
strata of dig site one.
2MYA
3MYA
Created by Lauren Honeycutt, Fremont Biology Science Lead Teacher, LAUSD
Attachment 3
2. Create a graph of the
frequencies of the different skulls
in the space provided.
Remember, you will have three
lines on your graph (one that
represents each of the three
different skulls). This graph will
be used in your final report.
3. Use OPTIC to analyze the
skull frequency graph from site
one.
Overview:
Parts: (three lines)
x-axis _____________________
y-axis _____________________
Title:
Interrelationships:
Conclusion:
Dig Site Two
4. Use the data from dig site two to
determine the frequencies of the
different skulls found in the different
strata of dig site two.
0MYA
1MYA
MYA
Sm.
Skull
Med.
Skull
Lg.
Skull
Total
0 (~10,000
years ago)
1
2
3
297
103
21
0
21
150
163
126
0
130
239
252
318
383
423
378
2MYA
3MYA
Created by Lauren Honeycutt, Fremont Biology Science Lead Teacher, LAUSD
Attachment 4
5. Create a graph of the
frequencies of the different skulls
in the space provided.
Remember, you will have three
lines on your graph (one that
represents each of the three
different skulls). This graph will
be used in your final report.
6. Use OPTIC to analyze the
skull frequency graph from site
two.
Overview:
Parts: (three lines)
x-axis _____________________
y-axis _____________________
Title:
Interrelationships:
Conclusion:
7. Compare and contrast the two graphs that have been created. Use the
interrelationships and conclusions that you have made for each of the graphs to fill in
the Venn diagram that has been provided below.
Created by Lauren Honeycutt, Fremont Biology Science Lead Teacher, LAUSD
8. Use the Venn diagram that you have completed and write a paragraph that
compares and contrasts the information found on both of Dr. Tongchai’s sites. This
paragraph will be in your final report.
Part 4: This part of the outline/background research focuses on the environment in
which the prehistoric goose population lived. This information was collected by Dr.
Tongchai and his research team and they were uncovering the goose skulls in the
different strata.
1. Where were the bones collected? ________________________________
2. What does the skeleton tell you about the goose’s adaptations (skull
excluded)? __________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. What type of food source do you think each skull is best adapted to?
Small beak _______________________________________________
Medium beak _____________________________________________
Large beak _______________________________________________
4. What type of food was found in each of the strata of the dig site?
Site One
Site Two
3MYA ______________________ __________________________
2MYA ______________________ __________________________
1MYA ______________________ __________________________
0MYA ______________________ __________________________
5. Which skull type was selected for in site one? Explain your answer.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
6. Which skull type was selected for in site two? Explain your answer.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Created by Lauren Honeycutt, Fremont Biology Science Lead Teacher, LAUSD
7. Rewrite your answers to questions six and seven in the space provided.
This paragraph will be included in your final paper.
Part Five: This section of the outline will explain how to put together your final
paper.
In your final paper you will include the paragraphs that you have written for the
following steps in this outline:
 Number 4 of Part 1
 Number 5 of Part 2
 Number 8 of Part 3
 Number 7 of Part 4
Your paper must have an introduction that introduces what you will be talking
about and how you can up with your analysis. In your introduction you must:
1. Introduce yourself to your reader
2. State the problem that you have been hired to solve
3. State BRIEFLY what you have found (namely, the type of selection,
environmental pressures, and isolating factors that you determined
to be the cause of the evolution of this geese population).
4. Set up the outline of your paper. This means that you BRIEFLY
state what you are going to talk about and in what order.
Your paper must also have a conclusion that synthesizes your analysis. This
does not mean summarize your paper or restate facts that you have already
written about. You need to show the reader how your analysis was valid and,
important and most importantly, leave them with the sense that you knew what
you were talking about.
Finally, for each paragraph that you write in your paper, you must reference the
graphical data that supports the claims you make in your analysis. All graphs will
be included in the final report at the end of the analysis in the form of
attachments.
Created by Lauren Honeycutt, Fremont Biology Science Lead Teacher, LAUSD