THE WOOLY WORM HUNT is an exciting "game" where the students are the Predators, hunting the great (and desirable) wooly worm. The class is given 60 seconds to pick up as many colored wooly worms as possible from the 1400 worms scattered across the Prep's front lawn. The 14 varieties vary with colors like white, neon pink, yellow, peach, teal, green and brown. Some varieties survive the onslaught of the dreaded "grey shirt" while others are hunted to near extinction. To test the hypothesis that there is preference for particular colors and that the wooly worms are not picked up randomly we use Chi Square analysis. This of course illustrates with greater than 99.5% certainty that earth tones are selected for and bright colors are selected against. The students are then asked to suppose that these are live, reproducing organisms and to predict what upcoming generations of wooly worms would look like. A really fun and interesting way to teach about Natural Selection

Question

THE WOOLY WORM HUNT is an exciting "game" where the students are the Predators, hunting the great (and desirable) wooly worm. The class is given 60 seconds to pick up as many colored wooly worms as possible from the 1400 worms scattered across the Prep's front lawn. The 14 varieties vary with colors like white, neon pink, yellow, peach, teal, green and brown. Some varieties survive the onslaught of the dreaded "grey shirt" while others are hunted to near extinction. To test the hypothesis that there is preference for particular colors and that the wooly worms are not picked up randomly we use Chi Square analysis. This of course illustrates with greater than 99.5% certainty that earth tones are selected for and bright colors are selected against. The students are then asked to suppose that these are live, reproducing organisms and to predict what upcoming generations of wooly worms would look like. A really fun and interesting way to teach about Natural Selection

Wooly Worm Lab • The Chi Square Test:
If the wool pieces are collected randomly, then the number of each color collected should be nearly equal. Thus, a null hypothesis may be proposed that states that there will be no significant difference in the number of each color of yarn collected. If this null hypothesis is not supported by the data, then selection of some colors over others must occur. You use the chi square test to test this null hypothesis by comparing the number of each color of yarn expected to be collected against the number that is actually collected. The chi square value calculated from the formula is a measure of the variation from the expected values. The closer the expected and observed values, the smaller the chi square value will be and the more likely that the data is the result of random choice. Once you get your chi square value, you can use this number to estimate the probability that the null hypothesis is acceptable, i.e. that the wool was collected randomly without color preference. If the null hypothesis is unacceptable then the selection of some colors over others must have occurred. To get the probability look on the chi square distribution chart in the row with the correct degrees of freedom (# of colors

I did that lab above and I am stumped this question:given the current warming trend of our planet, over time (generations of parents and offspring) what do you predict will happen to the species of wooly worms?

Answer 1

See my response to your later post.

Answer 2

Given the current warming trend of our planet, it is reasonable to predict that there could be changes in the species of wooly worms over time (generations of parents and offspring). This prediction is based on the principle of natural selection, which states that in changing environments, individuals with traits that are advantageous for their survival and reproduction are more likely to pass those traits on to the next generation.

In the case of wooly worms, if the current warming trend continues, it may lead to a shift in the prevalence of certain color variations among the wooly worms. As the earth becomes warmer, there may be a higher selection pressure for wooly worms with lighter or more heat-resistant colors (such as white or lighter shades) as they would have a better chance of blending into their environment and avoiding predation. On the other hand, darker or brighter colors (such as neon pink or bright green) may become less advantageous in a warmer environment and therefore be selected against.

Over time, this selective pressure may result in a higher proportion of wooly worms with lighter or earth-tone colors. This could be a form of adaptation to better survive and reproduce in the changing climate conditions. It is important to note that the specific outcome would depend on various factors, including the genetic variation within the wooly worm population, the rate of climate change, and other ecological interactions.

It's worth mentioning that this is a prediction based on the principles of natural selection, and actual outcomes in nature can be influenced by many complex factors. Additional research and observation would be required to assess the real impact of climate change on the species of wooly worms.