Predator Prey Lab Report
PREDATOR-PREY RELATIONS LAB
Background Research:
Predators and prey are organisms that interrelate, and they can influence on another’s success in reproduction. Predators are organisms that consume other organisms-their prey. These two organisms evolve together. They live in an environment where they must develop certain adaptations to survive. When an adaptation is developed, it gives an organism certain physical characteristics that create an advantage for survival and can come to dominate in a population. An adaptation aids survival by either decreasing a prey's chance of being eaten, or by increasing a predator's chance of obtaining food to survive and reproduce. Predators must fight for food. They face density-independent factors which are factors that limit resources, but they cannot be controlled; an example would be bad weather or wildfires. Density-dependent factors are things that can be controlled such as the amount of competition in an environment. For example, if a prey’s traits allow it to run faster, the predator must also have the characteristics to allow it to run fast enough to catch its prey. Many people confuse adaptions with evolution, but they are not the same. Adaptions are changes in an animal that happen in one generation, while evolution occurs over many generations (Modern Biology, 2006).
Charles Darwin had a theory that was the opposite of adaptations. Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection was basically “survival of the fittest.” When organisms reproduce and exceed the carrying capacity, the competition in the environment increases. Because of this, some organisms will not survive (Theory of Natural Selection). It was then that Darwin realized those organisms who were most suited for the environment were the ones who will live on and
reproduce (Darwin’s Theory of Evolution). For example, picture two birds in an environment. One bird has a long beak and the other has a short beak. The bird with the long beak is able to
Background Research:
Predators and prey are organisms that interrelate, and they can influence on another’s success in reproduction. Predators are organisms that consume other organisms-their prey. These two organisms evolve together. They live in an environment where they must develop certain adaptations to survive. When an adaptation is developed, it gives an organism certain physical characteristics that create an advantage for survival and can come to dominate in a population. An adaptation aids survival by either decreasing a prey's chance of being eaten, or by increasing a predator's chance of obtaining food to survive and reproduce. Predators must fight for food. They face density-independent factors which are factors that limit resources, but they cannot be controlled; an example would be bad weather or wildfires. Density-dependent factors are things that can be controlled such as the amount of competition in an environment. For example, if a prey’s traits allow it to run faster, the predator must also have the characteristics to allow it to run fast enough to catch its prey. Many people confuse adaptions with evolution, but they are not the same. Adaptions are changes in an animal that happen in one generation, while evolution occurs over many generations (Modern Biology, 2006).
Charles Darwin had a theory that was the opposite of adaptations. Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection was basically “survival of the fittest.” When organisms reproduce and exceed the carrying capacity, the competition in the environment increases. Because of this, some organisms will not survive (Theory of Natural Selection). It was then that Darwin realized those organisms who were most suited for the environment were the ones who will live on and
reproduce (Darwin’s Theory of Evolution). For example, picture two birds in an environment. One bird has a long beak and the other has a short beak. The bird with the long beak is able to
Bibliography: Theory of Natural Selection - Biology Online. (n.d.). Life Science Reference - Biology Online. Retrieved September 09, 2011, from http://www.biology-online.org/2/10_natural_selection. Darwin 's Theory Of Evolution. (n.d.). Darwin 's Theory Of Evolution. Retrieved September 09, 2011, from http://www.darwins-theory-of-evolution.com/ Postlethwait, J. H., & Hopson, J. L. (2006). Modern biology. Austin: Holt, Rinehart And Winston.