Group items tagged

In a study published Thursday in the journal Science, they report that they've pinpointed the bit of finch DNA behind the swift transition: a gene called HMGA2. In finches, HMGA2 seems to be the primary factor in beak size - like a really good group project leader, it orchestrates the expression of a number of other genes, each of which tweaks the size of the bird's beak. The same gene also appears in dogs, horses, even humans, holding sway over body size and stature.

By calling to their eggs, zebra finch parents may be helping their young prepare for a hotter world brought on by climate change.

Data Analysis from The Cornell Lab-Basics of Science Pipes By Yoomee Kim, Lisa Adler-Golden, and Andrea McMillen (ESA) Science pipes works by clicking and dragging the data, operations, and desired output boxes to the workspace. You create a pipeline by drawing lines between the boxes.  Activities include: Cemetery Demography, Darwin's Finches, Forest Population Structure and North American Pollen

In their study of the medium ground finches, evolutionary biologists Peter and Rosemary Grant were able to track the evolution of beak size twice in an amazingly short period of time due to two major droughts that occurred in the 1970s and 1980s. This activity simulates the food availability during these droughts and demonstrates how rapidly natural selection can act when the environment changes. Students use two different types of tools to represent different beak types to see which is best adapted to collect and "eat" seeds of different sizes. Students collect and analyze data and draw conclusions about traits that offer a selective advantage under different environmental conditions. They have the option of using an Excel spreadsheet to calculate different descriptive statistics and interpret graphs.

15 minute video

Now, a new study reports that at least one species of songbird-and likely many more-already knows how to prep its chicks for a warming world. They do so by emitting special calls to the embryos inside their eggs, which can hear and learn external sounds. This is the first time scientists have found animals using sound to affect the growth, development, behavior, and reproductive success of their offspring, and adds to a growing body of research revealing that birds can "doctor" their eggs.

Bozeman video 10:26 Paul Andersen explains how life has evolved and continues to evolve today. A brief discussion of artificial, natural and sexual selection is included. The beak of the finch is used to explain how directional selection is achieved.

Lesson materials