IndexContextContextExperimental DesignObservations and ResultsDiscussionConclusionNatural selection is a fundamental concept in the field of biology that explains how species evolve and adapt to their environment over time. In this lab report we will explore the principles of natural selection and demonstrate how it works in a controlled experiment. The objectives of this experiment are to observe and analyze the effects of natural selection on a population of organisms and draw conclusions about the mechanisms of evolution and adaptation. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay ContextCharles Darwin first introduced the concept of natural selection in his seminal work, "The Origin of Species," published in 1859. Darwin proposed that Species evolve through a process of selective adaptation to their environment, where individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits on to future generations. This process involves the gradual change of a population over time, leading to the emergence of new species. One of the key components of natural selection is variation within a population. In a given population, individuals show differences in traits such as size, color, and behavior. These variations are the result of genetic diversity and environmental influences. Some traits may provide a survival advantage in a particular environment, while others may be detrimental. Natural selection acts on these variations, favoring traits that improve an organism's ability to survive and reproduce. Experimental Design For this experiment we will use a population of model organisms known as "Fastio snails". These snails are small herbivorous gastropods commonly found in freshwater environments. Our goal is to observe how natural selection influences the shell color of the snail population in response to changes in their environment. We will set up two separate tanks, each containing a population of Fastio snails. Tank A will have a light colored substrate, while tank B will have a dark colored substrate. The snails will be able to reproduce and interact within their respective tanks for a period of six months. At the end of the experiment, we will analyze the distribution of shell colors in each population to evaluate the effects of natural selection. Observations and Results Over the course of the experiment, we observed significant changes in the shell color of the snail populations. In tank A, where the substrate was light-colored, most snails developed lighter-colored shells, ranging from light beige to light brown. In contrast, in tank B, where the substrate was dark in color, the snails predominantly displayed darker shell colors, including shades of dark brown and black. These results indicate that the shell color of the snail population was influenced by the color of their environment. This is consistent with the principle of natural selection, as individuals with shell colors that closely matched the substrate were better camouflaged and less vulnerable to predation. As a result, these snails were more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on their advantageous shell color traits to their offspring. Discussion The results of this experiment provide compelling evidence for the role of natural selection in driving evolutionary change. The observed change in shell color in snail populations demonstrates how environmental factors.