My first introduction to the principles of ecology and evolution was in the BIOL 251 class, introduction to ecology and evolution. One topic we discussed in this class was natural selection and predator-prey interactions. Our first lab focused on these concepts, and helped me develop a better understanding of how selection works in the wild. The first lab was done using tweezers and pipe cleaners to mimic wooly worms and birds hunting them. We found that the “wooly worms” who were better camouflaged were eaten less, and those that were brightly colored were eaten more. This showed how natural selection works and how certain traits are favored more than others.
The next class where I learned more about ecology and evolution was my BIOL 399 class, evolution. Obviously, this class was about evolution, and focused less on the ecology aspect. In that class, which I took over the winter, we had to do a lab with skittles. This lab was essentially the same as the BIOL 251 lab, as it looked at predation and how natural selection occurs from that. This lab showed how preferences of the predator can affect the population size of the prey, which in this case were skittles.
Both of these classes taught me a lot about ecology and evolution, and how important these concepts are for a biologist and even just as a human being. I am proud of the work I did in these two classes. It is easy to get lost when learning about ecology and evolution, and there are a lot of specifics, but I believe I did well in learning about ecology and evolution and overcoming those challenges. After learning these ecological and evolutionary skills and concepts, I now view the world differently, especially in terms of our environment and all of the organisms living in it. These classes also showed me that I have a strong love for ecology and evolution, and although it is not directly related to my career path, I will still have this knowledge with me for a long time.
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1J_RaPp_gmSYfxAkZ8luQH8FMRCTMn-0_