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The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation

Topic

  • Genetics
  • Gene Expression & Regulation
  • Evolution
  • Natural Selection
  • Population Genetics

Resource Type

  • Videos
  • Short Films

Level

High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege

Duration

00:10:25
Used In
2 BioInteractive Playlists
Saved By
125 Users
Share This
View in Spanish

Description

This film describes natural selection and adaptation in populations of rock pocket mice living in the American Southwest.

Mice living on light-colored sand tend to have light-colored coats, while mice living on patches of dark-colored rock have mostly dark-colored coats. Michael Nachman studies the evolutionary processes that led to these marked differences in rock pocket mouse populations. He has quantified the selective pressure imposed by predators and identified the genes involved in the adaptations of mouse populations to their substrates. Nachman’s work also demonstrates that similar selective pressures can drive evolution toward similar phenotypic adaptations but using very different genetic paths.

The “Abbreviated Film Guide” provides a short summary of the film, along with key concepts and connections to curriculum standards.

An audio descriptive version of the film is available via our media player.

Key Terms

camouflage, melanin, melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), mutation, rock pocket mouse, selective pressure, trait, variation

Primary Literature

Nachman, Michael W., Hopi E. Hoekstra, and Susan L. D’Agostino. “The Genetic Basis of Adaptive Melanism in Pocket Mice.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 100, no. 9 (April 29, 2003): 5268–5273. 

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)

PDF files partially meet criteria. Video files meet criteria. Spanish files meet criteria.

Version History

Date Published 10.12.11
Date Updated 05.14.20

NGSS (2013)

HS.LS1.A, HS.LS2.A, HS.LS2.C, HS.LS3.A, HS.LS3.B, HS.LS4.B, HS.LS4.C

AP Biology (2019)

EVO-1, EVO-3, SYI-3, IST-2, IST-4

IB Biology (2016)

4.1, 5.4

AP Environmental Science (2020)

Topic(s): 2.1, 2.6, 2.7

Vision and Change (2009)

CC1, CC5

Materials

HD (M4V) 323 MB
HD (WMV) 323 MB
SD (M4V) 82 MB
SD (WMV) 82 MB
Transcript (PDF) 160 KB
Spanish Dub (Español) (MP4) 182 MB
Transcript - Español (PDF) 240 KB
Abbreviated Film Guide (PDF) 104 KB
Abbreviated Film Guide - Español (PDF) 173 KB

Use This Resource With

Activity Resource
Activity for Natural Selection and Adaptation
Activity Resource
What Causes Different Fur Colors?
Activity Resource
Developing an Explanation for Mouse Fur Color
Activity Resource
Biochemistry and Cell Signaling Pathway of the Mc1r Gene
Activity Resource
Color Variation Over Time in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Activity Resource
Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Interactive Media Resource
Interactive Assessment for Natural Selection and Adaptation

Educator Tips

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Educator in front of an image of a brown mouse on a lava flow Play Video Previous Slide Next Slide
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1-Minute Tips

Rock Pocket Mouse Resources

Ann Brokaw presents three BioInteractive resources she uses to support the short film "Natural Selection and Adaptation."
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Other Related Resources

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Screen shot of the quiz
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Interactive Assessment for Natural Selection and Adaptation
Photos of different colored mice on different colored terrains
Lessons
What Causes Different Fur Colors?
Photo of a pocket mouse being held by a researcher
Film Activities
Activity for Natural Selection and Adaptation
Diagram from the activity
Card Activities
Color Variation Over Time in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Screenshot of mouse fur evolution animation
Lessons
Developing an Explanation for Mouse Fur Color
Image from the activity
Labs & Demos
Battling Beetles
Photo of a researcher looking at a computer
Lessons
Allele and Phenotype Frequencies in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Bar graph taken from the resource
Lessons
Analyzing Data on Tuskless Elephants
Computer image of a light and dark mouse on cooled lava
Animations
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Screen shot of the quiz
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This Resource Appears in the Following Playlists

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Teaching Natural Selection and the Genetic Code Using the Rock Pocket Mouse
3 Resources
By: BioInteractive
Teaching the Central Dogma Using the Rock Pocket Mouse and Genetic Medicine
7 Resources
By: BioInteractive
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