Item 4 is the primary emphasis of this activity. Teachers can introduce the other factors as appropriate. Natural selection and its evolutionary consequences provide a scientific explanation for the fossil record of ancient life forms, as well as for the striking molecular similarities observed among the diverse species of living organisms. Some living organisms have the capacity to produce populations of almost infinite size, but environments and resources are finite. The fundamental tension has profound effects on the interactions among organisms.
Many students have difficulty with the fundamental concepts of evolution.
For example, some students express misconceptions about natural selection because they do not understand the relationship between variations within a population and the potential effect of those variations as the population continues to grow in numbers in an environment with limited resources. This is a dynamic understanding that derives from the four ideas presented in the learning outcomes for this activity. This activity emphasizes natural selection. In particular, it presents students with the predator-prey relationship as one example of how natural selection operates in nature. Students should understand that the process of evolution has two steps, referred to as genetic variation and natural selection.