May 28, 2012

Natural Selection in Sharks



My model shows the evolutionary process of natural selection in a shark population.  I drew pictures of the shark population before and after natural selection occurred.  I chose to represent natural selection in this way because it shows how the colors of the sharks changed due to natural selection.  The change in color of the sharks was due to predators.  The gray color of the starting population was visible to the predators in the dark blue oceans.  As time passed, their color patterns changed.  The topside of the sharks turned into a dark blue or gray color that allows them to blend in with the sea.  Their bellies turned into a white color that protects them from predators below them.  When the predators look up, the sharks' bellies blend in with the bright colored surface water due to the sunlight.  This mode of evolution is selective, rather than random.  Only the sharks with the new color pattern would be able to camouflage and survive from the predators.  Other species of animals have also adapted to be able to camouflage in their environments.  Escaping from predators is the main source of this evolution.  Sharks that are better blended in the sea will be able to have a  higher successful hunting rate.




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