How natural selection affects the Colorado Potato beetle.
Moderators: AmyCowen, kgudger, bfinio, MadelineB, Moderators
-
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2018 8:18 pm
- Occupation: Student
How natural selection affects the Colorado Potato beetle.
Hello, I am writing a paper on how natural selection affects the Colorado Potato beetle. I have found most of my information to fit my requirements. I have ran into a problem because I am specifically asked to address the different variations of the beetle and how that affects its ability to survive. More specifically how natural selection has helped the beetle adapt to so many different environments. This is a problem because I can't find a lot of information on it. Can anybody help me on this?
-
- Former Student Expert
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2018 12:07 pm
- Occupation: Student
Re: How natural selection affects the Colorado Potato beetle.
Hello and Welcome to Sci Buddies!
Natural Selection is the process in which the environment "selects" the variations that are best suited for a population's survival in it.
You could talk about how one trait allows the current Colorado Potato Beetle to survive in its environment. It can be concluded that long ago, the trait that allows the beetle to benefit in the environment did not exist in the population. So, there would be variation among the population when one of the beetles has a mutation that causes the beneficiary trait to appear. You could look at the differences among the beetle population in the different areas/habitats.
For example, you could talk about the stripes on the beetle and how it helps it mimic another species or camouflage in its environment (which ever one applies to the species), and that lessens the amount of predation on bugs with that variation. So, the population with the variation is able to reproduce faster, increasing the frequency of that variation in the population.
Hopefully this helps and be sure to ask us if you have any more questions!
Nandita:)
Natural Selection is the process in which the environment "selects" the variations that are best suited for a population's survival in it.
You could talk about how one trait allows the current Colorado Potato Beetle to survive in its environment. It can be concluded that long ago, the trait that allows the beetle to benefit in the environment did not exist in the population. So, there would be variation among the population when one of the beetles has a mutation that causes the beneficiary trait to appear. You could look at the differences among the beetle population in the different areas/habitats.
For example, you could talk about the stripes on the beetle and how it helps it mimic another species or camouflage in its environment (which ever one applies to the species), and that lessens the amount of predation on bugs with that variation. So, the population with the variation is able to reproduce faster, increasing the frequency of that variation in the population.
Hopefully this helps and be sure to ask us if you have any more questions!
Nandita:)