With Tanner Spence and Gabriella Vasquez
Overview:In this project we had to research an endangered animal to answer some questions about it. We chose to focus on the Black-footed ferret and created a silly documentary along with a slideshow to explain the points covered in the video and give clear answers to the big questions.
Prior to starting work on the final product of this project, we had to learn all about evolution, how it has been proved, and what causes it (specific terms below). Using what we learned we created a presentation about the evolution and near extinction of the Black-Footed Ferret. If you want to see the research we conducted for this project: |
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Content
Evolution: The process through which a species changes characteristics or traits to make it more fit to survive in its environment. Specifically for our project, evolution is shown in how the Black-Footed Ferret developed a thicker skull and stronger claws and teeth to become efficient Prairie Dog hunters in the plains of the Midwest U.S.
Adaptation: Any advantageous trait in a species as a result of evolution.
Speciation: The formation of a new species due to evolution. This means that the new species can no longer have offspring with the old species. This isolates Black-Footed Ferrets from other species of ferret.
Allopatric Speciation: When two species evolve differently due to living in different ecosystems in different geographic locations.
Sympatric Speciation: When two species evolve differently in the same area due to other barriers or types of isolation.
Geographic Isolation: Isolation due to physical barriers such as mountains, rivers, oceans, and canyons.
Behavioral Isolation: Isolation due to differences in how a species acts. This is usually prevalent in mating rituals.
Reproductive Isolation: Isolation due to the physical inability to reproduce.
Temporal Isolation: Isolation due to differences in mating times. This could be as obvious as different seasons, or as critical as different times of the day.
Shrinking Population: When a population shrinks, its gene pool gets more limited. Gene frequencies and even the presence of genes can fluctuate.
Non-random Mating: Animals are picky with their mates, much like people. They, like we do, pick their mates based on certain traits that they possess. This changes the frequency of specific genes in a population's gene pool.
Genetic Mutations: Errors in the transferring of genetic code that can lead to advantageous, disadvantageous, or neutral traits. Advantageous mutations can become adaptations when that trait gets spread throughout all or the majority of the species.
Gene Flow/Movement: The migration of organisms. This affects the gene pool of a population because when an organism leaves, it takes its genes with it.
Natural Selection: The process of the environment a species lives in causing a change in the traits of the species.
Variation ==> Competition ==> Favorable Trait Survives (Survival of the fittest).
Variation ==> Competition ==> Favorable Trait Survives (Survival of the fittest).
Artificial Selection: The process of humans breeding a species to have desirable traits and characteristics. As a mini project in this unit, we bred E. Coli specifically to be resistant to streptomycin (an antibiotic).
Extinction: The complete elimination of a species to the point that there are no living members of that species. In our project, the Black-Footed Ferrets were threatened by extinction when their main source of food started to get killed off by disease and people. At one point the ferret population was down to eighteen.
Reflection
This project was fun to work on and I feel like I learned a lot.
Compared to projects in the past, we managed our time much better in this project. I was able to help divide up work effectively and worked efficiently for the most part. I also feel like the presentation itself was well done despite the rather unnecessarily silly documentary. I feel like I presented the information in a clear and organized fashion.
Now, obviously there were some things I could have done better. For one thing, I was easily distracted some days throughout the project and ended up off task. Not to put the blame on anyone else, but I think we may have had too much time to do what was required. I tend not to work well when there is no urgent need to. I know this is a bad habit and it needs to be addressed and fixed. Also, I feel like a wasn't as much of a leader as I should have been and know I can be. There were times in the project where I kind of sat back and let my teammates figure stuff out. This too needs to change, and I expect it to.
Compared to projects in the past, we managed our time much better in this project. I was able to help divide up work effectively and worked efficiently for the most part. I also feel like the presentation itself was well done despite the rather unnecessarily silly documentary. I feel like I presented the information in a clear and organized fashion.
Now, obviously there were some things I could have done better. For one thing, I was easily distracted some days throughout the project and ended up off task. Not to put the blame on anyone else, but I think we may have had too much time to do what was required. I tend not to work well when there is no urgent need to. I know this is a bad habit and it needs to be addressed and fixed. Also, I feel like a wasn't as much of a leader as I should have been and know I can be. There were times in the project where I kind of sat back and let my teammates figure stuff out. This too needs to change, and I expect it to.