How to Build a Population Simulation and Track Trait Changes Over Time
How can you create a simulation of a population to observe trait changes over 5 and 10 years?
Building the Simulation:
Creating the Simulation:
Represent each trait with different colors and include a key for easy identification. Simulate the population for 5 years by allowing 25% of plants to reproduce each year, passing on their traits to the offspring.
Observing Trait Changes:
After 5 years, you might see 1000 circles for medium-tip leaves, 750 circles for wide-tip leaves, and 750 circles for drip-tip leaves. After 10 years, the distribution may shift to 750 circles for medium-tip leaves, 500 circles for wide-tip leaves, and 750 circles for drip-tip leaves.
Explanation:
The proportion of plants with each trait changes over time as offspring inherit traits from their parents. In this case, the number of plants with medium-tip leaves decreases while those with wide-tip and drip-tip leaves increase.