Variation in Eastern Gray Squirrels

1. Variation in Eastern Gray Squirrels Add name

2. Tamera Williams [twilliams@chimes.org]

3. Background Information Natural environmental pressures Human influences on squirrel populations

4. Background Information Squirrel Habitat and food sources How often do squirrels reproduce and what is the size of their litters

5. Background Information • What is the definition of natural selection • What are the effects of environmental pressure on natural selection

6. Background Information • What are the effects of adaptations on survival • What are the effects of variation on survival and reproductive success

7. Background Information • What is meiosis and how does it contribute to new gene combinations • What is fertilization and how does it concentrate to variation

8. Background Information • How do phenotype and genotype differ using the two types of squirrels as examples

9. Background Information • What is a mutation and what effect could one have on an individual, population, the environment

10. Background Information • What is the relationship between the squirrels and the organism going after them

11. Background Information • Illustrate and discuss the trophic levels of the squirrels and their predators

12. Background Information • What effects can pollution have on the squirrel population, the environment • What effect can an increase in the squirrel population have on the environment

13. Background Information • What is urbanization and what affect could it have on the environment and/or the squirrel population

14. References

15. Question and Hypothesis • Write the question • and your hypothesis: • If……………. Then ………………. • Or • I believe …………………. Because …………

16. Materials • List the materials needed for your simulation

17. Procedure • What are the steps to your simulation. Be sure to include • Several generations of squirrels • Data to be collected • How will the data support the hypothesis

18. Insert or construct your data table must also be in your journal Data

19. Data • Graph your data

20. Data Analysis • Is there any sign of bias • Do you see any trends • Can you make any predictions

21. Data Analysis • Define independent variable, what is yours • Define dependent variable, what is yours • What safety precautions and/or equipment will you need • What might be some sources of error in your design • Does the data support your hypothesis, why/why not

22. Data Analysis • Compare and contrast your simulation to the moth situation • Place image here

23. Data Analysis • Show the relationship between squirrels eaten and those surviving and reproducing (ratio and proportion)

24. Summary • Discuss your findings relate your results to populations of gray squirrels • State the phenotypes of the squirrels • Describe the relationships among organisms in the forest • Discuss how environmental pressure affects the squirrel population

25. Conclusion • Does your data confirm, modify or reject yor hypothesis. Use the data to support your answer

26. Images