"Toothpick Fish" Lab Analysis

     When simulating fish allele movements in a gene pool, the population and allele passes were tracked and analyzed. In the beginning of this lab, there were twenty four fish (toothpicks) in the gene pool (cup); there were red, yellow, and green fish (eight of each). With each passing generation, the population and offspring changed. Each time pairs of toothpicks were removed from the cup, new offspring was born, and their phenotypes and genotypes were recorded. In the first generation, there were six green fish offspring, one red, two yellow, and three orange. However, the yellow fish were removed and placed in the morgue, because they could not adapt and survive. By the third generation, there were seven green, one red, zero yellow, and one orange offspring. By then, all the yellow fish had been eaten (placed in the morgue). In the fourth generation, there were six green offspring, one red, zero yellow and one orange. The number of offspring had gone from twelve to nine. However, of course, the seaweed and algae (that the fish live off of) will not be there forever.
     At this point, an environmental disaster occurred; factory waste was disposed of, into the stream. Exposed rocks and sand are now perfect for camoflauge for red, yellow, and orange fish. However, the seaweed and algae have died, so the green fish are easy to see and are eaten. All of the green toothpicks were removed from the cup. The surviving population of offspring then consisted of three fish (one red and two orange). This disaster showed how adaptations are important to a living creature in their environment and how allele passes can be disturbed or obstructed. If this lab was slightly altered, the outcome would also be altered. Say the environmental disaster was a chemical dropped in the water that changed the pigment of the seaweed and algae from green to red. Green and yellow fish would be easy to see, so they would most likely be eaten very quickly. Also, because there would be no yellow alleles, the creation of orange offspring would not be possible. This lab simulated and demonstrated fish allele passes, adaptations in environments, and necessities of creatured in their environments; a lot was learned during this task.