Beak Size And Population Size Analysis

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Using my knowledge from class regarding the criteria for natural selection, I predict the parameter regarding heritability would have the greatest impact on the evolution of beak size in finches because this is the essential requirement necessary for an increase in frequency to occur by natural selection. Evolution is a result of natural selection, so without it evolution cannot occur compared to the other parameters. Also, a population cannot evolve if the trait is not able to be passed down from the parent to the offspring. However, the other parameters that come close to being important are the parameters regarding variance and precipitation. Precipitation plays a part in altering the beak sizes based on the food source (seed) that are produced …show more content…
Compared to the control (Wallace Island), by changing the variance to zero there was a large effect on the beak size and population size. By changing the variance to zero, this causes the population to exhibit the same traits and, therefore, causing the population to become stable due to the non-existence of new species, or variations in traits. Also, because there is no variation within the population, competition increases which explains why the control exhibited an increasing population compared to the treatment (Darwin …show more content…
Darwin island increased while Wallace island decreased and vice versa), 2) towards the middle (for about another 5 trials) of the trials, the two islands mirrored each other and exhibited constant beak sizes (ex. islands were overlapping each other), and 3) at the end ( for about 5 trials) of the trials, the pattern followed the same pattern as the first five trials. Given that the parameters are held constant at each trial, the results make sense due to migration. In the beginning, both islands exhibited the same beak sizes, but as time progressed the migration rates increased due to levels of competition and lack of variation. Depending on whether the birds were compatible to those on their ancestral island determined the heritability of that trait. When the beak sizes between the two islands overlapped each other, it simply means that the initial beak size is favored in both islands due to the same amount of precipitation available that alters the seed characteristics on both

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