Name________________________________ Per______ Guppy Evolution Lab The purpose of this activity is to analyze how guppy populations change over time. The simulation activity allows you to start with a pool of guppies and your choice of predators, you will be able to watch what happens to your guppy population and how the introduction of predators can affect the guppy's appearance. The simulation will help you understand what pressures drive guppy evolution. *Activity adapted from PBS - http://www.pbs.org To open the Guppy Sex Simulator. 1. Open Internet Explorer 2. Go to the website: www.pbs.org 3. Click on Teachers in the top tool bar toward the right. This should take you to the PBS LearningMedia page. 4. On the PBS LearningMedia page, type guppy into the search box. 5. Click on the link for Sex and the Single Guppy. 6. Click on the link that says Launch to open up the interactive lab. Or type in the following url: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/sex/guppy/ Introduction: 1. Read the introduction on the screen for Sex and the Single Guppy, then answer the following question: If being flashy and colorful attracts predators, why do you think guppies are so colorful? 2. Click on Guppy Gallery (lower right corner—or possibly left corner). View the guppy gallery and pick the fish you find most interesting and record its information below. Scientific name: ______________________ Origin: __________________ Average Size: ________________ Describe the coloration of the fish you chose: 3. View the predator gallery by clicking on the Predator tab in the lower right corner. Pick the fish you find most interesting and record its information below. Common name: _____________________ Scientific name: _______________________ Origin: ______________________ 4. View the guppy’s habitats. What habitat conditions would affect the predator populations? Next, click Back to Simulation in the lower left corner. Click “I’m ready to find out” and read about Endler’s discovery. Endler’s Discovery and Variations of Guppies in Pools: 5. Read and scroll through the box about Endler’s discovery and answer these questions: Who is John Endler? What did he study and where did he study it? 6. Click on the pools 1, 2, and 3 to investigate the guppy stream. For each of the three stream areas, describe the guppy coloration: Pool 1: Pool 2: Pool 3: 7. Click on “What causes guppy color variation?” Pick a hypothesis from the list and write it below or develop your own hypothesis about guppy coloration and write it below. The hypothesis should answer the questions: Why do guppies in different areas of the stream have difference in coloration? Click on “To start, choose how you want to set up your simulation pool.” From the drop down menus, select the guppy color types and predator species and numbers indicated for each trial listed in the data table below. Allow each trial to run for 5 generations, then press Stop Simulation and View Results. Record data in the data table. Next, click on Run another simulation and conduct the next trial. Continue this process until you have collected and recorded data for all of the trials. Guppy Simulation % of Brightest Guppies (5 generations) % of Bright Guppies (5 generations) % of Drab % of Drabbest Guppies Guppies (5 generations) (5 generations) Trial 1 Guppy: Even Mix Predators: 30 Rivulus Trial 2 Guppy: Even Mix Predators: 30 Rivulus, 30 Acara Trial 3 Guppy: Even Mix Predators: 30 Rivulus, 30 Acara, 30 Cichlid Trial 4 Guppy: Mostly Bright Predators: 30 Rivulus Trial 5 Guppy: Mostly Drab Predators: 30 Rivulus, 30 Acara, 30 Cichlid After all data has been collected and recorded, click on Read Summary and answer the questions on the following page. Summary: 8. Describe how predators influence guppy coloration. 9. Was your hypothesis correct, use your data to justify your answer. 10. What does it mean that “male guppies live in a crossfire between their enemies and their wouldbe mates”? 11. Why do you think guppies in different areas of the stream have different coloration? 12. What would happen to mostly drab guppies that were placed in a stream with very few predators? 13. What would happen to brightly colored guppies that were placed in a stream with many predators?