Evolution and Natural Selection Lab Report
Instructions: In the Natural Selection lab you will explore adaptations that help organisms survive best in a particular habitat. You will observe how changing a factor in the environment will impact the organisms that live there over time. Record your observations in the lab report below. You will submit your completed report.
Objective(s)
In your own words, what was the purpose of this lab?
The purpose of this lab is to
Hypothesis

In this section, please include the if/then statements you developed during your lab activity. These statements reflect your predicted outcomes for the investigations. You will investigate two different versions of the tree environment as it changes over time: light-colored bark and dark-colored bark. Be sure to list your hypothesis for each environment below.
Example: If I investigate the light-colored bark environment, then I will observe an increase in the light-colored peppered moths over time.
Hypothesis for the light-colored bark:
Hypothesis for the dark-colored bark:

Procedure
The procedures are listed in your virtual lab. You do not need to repeat them here. Please be sure to identify the test variable (independent variable) and the outcome variable (dependent variable) for this investigation.
Reminder: The test variable is the item that is changing in this investigation. The outcome variable is the item that you are measuring in this investigation.
Test variable (independent variable):
Outcome variable (dependent variable):

Data

You will investigate both environments. Record your data for each trial of that environment in the data charts below.
Pre-industrial Revolution Bark (Light-colored)
Generation
Rate of Survival for Light-colored Peppered Moths
Rate of Survival for Dark-colored Peppered Moths
1

2

3

4

5

Post-Industrial Revolution Bark (Dark-colored)
Generation
Rate of Survival for Light-colored Peppered Moths
Rate of Survival for Dark-colored Peppered Moths
1

2

3

4

5

Conclusion
Your conclusion will include a summary of the lab results and an interpretation of the results. Please write in complete sentences.
What caused the tree bark to become darker?
In the lab simulation, which color peppered moth was able to have the higher rate of survival on the light bark?
In the lab simulation, which color peppered moth was able to have the highest rate of survival on the dark bark?
During the Industrial Revolution, explain what caused the population of light-colored peppered moths to decrease and the population of dark-colored peppered moths to increase over time. Be sure to include how the ability to survive and reproduce impacts the process of natural selection.
Predict which color peppered moth would have a better chance of survival in your neighborhood? Explain why.