Working in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique, Dr. Joyce Poole and colleagues make a striking observation: many female elephants lack tusks. Poaching is selecting for tuskless elephants, which are more likely to survive, mate, and pass on their genes. Such a deep genetic understanding of complex evolutionary changes in large free-ranging animals would have been unobtainable just a few years ago.. This study is among the first to show that selective killing of large vertebrates can have a direct impact on evolutionary change, says Fanie Pelletier, an ecologist at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, who co-authored a perspective piece in Science about the research. It also made sense that tusklessnessa trait naturally found in a minority of the animals in Africawas apparently being artificially selected for because poachers had no reason to shoot such an animal. This activity guides the analysis of a published scientific figure from a study involving illegal elephant poaching. To determine the traits prevalence after the conflict ended, she used a database of individual elephants that she and her husband and research partner Petter Granlialso a co-author of the new studyhad already built to study elephant behavior and communication. But he found himself sucked into the mystery of tuskless elephants when he watched a YouTube video about the phenomenon. 318 0 obj <>stream Perri Carr describes how she uses BioInteractives elephant resources to teach concepts ranging from biotechnology to genetics to ecology and conservation. a. Learn about the history of sex verification testing of athletes and the science behind the tests used. 7. The story of African elephants is a powerful case study of how science can inform conservation. %PDF-1.5 % Most of the elephants killed naturally did have tusks. Scientific Explanation of Evolution by Natural Selection. Scientific Explanation of Evolution by Natural Selection. Elephant tusks are important for obtaining food and water, and essential to male elephants for competing for mates, so there is a strong natural selection for having tusks. Tusklessness, according to a new paper in Science, can be attributed in large part to a dominant mutation on the X chromosomea genetic change that also explains the sex skew Poole saw. |U#62RF>^/,[4@[S5MT3M_q+; u* Knowledge awaits. Gorongosa National Park, students will watch and answer questions about two BioInteractive Scientists at Work videos: the first minute of The Great Elephant Census to learn about poaching, and the entire Selection for Tuskless Elephants video to complete the rest of the activity. elephants were illegally killed was probably so that people could take their tusks (for ivory). To learn more about the problems facing African elephants and their recovery in Gorongosa National Park, watch these two BioInteractive Scientists at Work videos: the first minute of The Great Elephant Census and all of Selection for Tuskless Elephants. video until time 1:46 and answer the following questions. This interactive module explores how different animals elephants, birds, and bats have evolved distinct ways of using sound to communicate. (The first six weeks, as well as the culminating project . Explain how the selective pressures on a population may impact the frequencies of phenotypes. Explain how the selective pressures on a population may impact the frequencies of phenotypes. 293 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<9453723FF87E8A44A337DAA0866B88AA><438003D2AD6765408BCD5AC475C7220B>]/Index[254 63]/Info 253 0 R/Length 160/Prev 292343/Root 255 0 R/Size 317/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream Because tusks continuously grow throughout an elephants lifetime, and because males tusks weigh about seven times those of females, older males tended to be the first to go, followed by younger males and then older females. PART 2: Video Activity . Genetics Evolution Scientific Skills & Literacy Scientists at Work High School General High School AP/IB College Shane Campbell-Staton of Princeton University, co-lead author of the new paper, has spent his career studying the ways that humans force such evolutionary changes across the tree of life. Poaching is artificially selecting for tuskless elephants who can better survive, mate, and pass on their genes to the next generation. Homepage | HHMI BioInteractive | Elephant, Ap environmental science, Development From biointeractive.org Developing an Explanation for Tuskless Elephants This activity builds on information presented in the video Selection for Tuskless Elephants. This film describes natural selection and adaptation in populations of rock pocket mice living in the American Southwest. In this activity, students engage in key science practices that scientists used to figure out ecosystem dynamics in the Serengeti. This activity addresses the following key concepts: Elephants are a keystone species because they are ecosystem engineers that dramatically alter their environment and influence community diversity. In females, mutations in a key gene on one of their X chromosomes seems to be responsible for tusklessness. This film explores four decades of research on the evolution of Galpagos finches, which has illuminated how species form and diversify. %%EOF II. What did Dr. Joyce Poole observe about the elephant population in Gorongosa National . The immune system responds to pathogens in two main ways: innate and adaptive immune responses. Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used. Answers may vary. Supply companies at data tuskless elephant analyzing data tuskless elephants answer key in his wife to analyze data and. Natural Selection Published October 2018 www.BioInteractive.org Page 3 of 6 Activity Student Handout Video Activity 7. keyboard_arrow_up Show footer These changes came with enormous cost to the overall genetic health of these declining populations., Ultimately, Campbell-Staton says, the study speaks to the ubiquity of the human footprint as an evolutionary force., There is some good news, however. The study shows that tuskless male elephant offspring are not viable, meaning that population decline is accentuated, Pelletier says. Discover implementation ideas, lesson sequences, resource modifications, quick tips, and more in this collection of videos and in-depth articles. Let's Go! Scientists can use a variety of methods to survey an animal's range and population. 254 0 obj <> endobj eaht``wC(#U]}I)C Explain how characteristics associated with biological sex may affect athletic performance. ;X2ELb/6-qRrT3p0=qb3]1#>7}}2D/Q 59E ,;! These declines may be a part of Earths next mass extinction. Most immune cells develop from stem cells in the bone marrow. This interactive module explores the phases, checkpoints, and protein regulators of the cell cycle. It engages students in analyzing data to make evidence-based claims about the occurrence of tusklessness in elephant populations. By watching segments of this video, students will follow the analyses and discoveries of Joyce Poole, a scientist who has studied elephants for many years. Researchers created the model in Figure 1 using data from cell fractionation studies. Campbell-Staton and his co-first author, Brian Arnold of Princeton, were able to join forces with the other researchers to collect blood samples from 18 femalessome with tusks and some withoutthat would meet the genomic requirements for the project. This activity guides the analysis of a published scientific figure from a study that measured species population declines on a global scale. hhmi biointeractive tuskless elephants answer key About; Location; Menu; FAQ; Contacts HS-LS1.A, HS-LS1.B, HS-LS3.B, HS-LS4.ASEP6, SEP8, IST-1.P, IST-1.J, IST-2.E, IST-4.A; SP1, SP2, SP4, SP6, IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017), Teaching an Online Introductory Biology Lab Using Cellular and Molecular Biology Resources, Desktop App - macOS 10.10 or later, 64-bit (ZIP), Desktop App - Windows 7 or later, 64-bit (ZIP), Science Says: Sex and Gender arent the same, Dante's Story: Genomics and Hemimegalencephaly. After creating an account, educators can save and organize their favorite BioInteractive resources and discover recommendations tailored to their interests. The more killing there was, the more tuskless females you got. Most African elephants have tusks, but some never grow them especially in places that have a history of poaching, like Gorongosa National Park. Hear how educators are using BioInteractive content in their teaching. Explore our digital archive back to 1845, including articles by more than 150 Nobel Prize winners. Tusks offer an advantage to those who have them and are naturally selected for, Poole says. hbbd```b``"WHg -,^ endstream endobj startxref This video follows Joyce Poole and other scientists working in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique, who made the observation that many female elephants lack tusks. Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used. Suggest some ways to reduce the number of elephants that are illegally killed each year. Watch the . rev-a-shelf 6942-28-11-52; stride rite sandals baby girl; five spice beef noodle soup hbbd```b``"wH&NQ fg`5jz XX$^feN3)R@1y"A9m v \`@=`6/Af Zl "30 0 r This video follows ecologist Caitlin O'Connell-Rodwell, who is studying how elephants can communicate over long distances using low-frequency sounds that travel both in the air and through the ground. endstream endobj 255 0 obj <. In population simulations, the researchers confirmed that it is extremely unlikely that tusklessness would have changed so drastically by chance alone. 255 0 obj <> endobj The accompanying worksheet guides students exploration. No rights are granted to use HHMIs or BioInteractives names or logos independent from this Resource or in any derivative works. Description. chromosome, differences in sex development (DSD), estrogen, Olympics, ovary, primary/secondary sex characteristic, sex determining region Y (SRY), testes, testosterone, X inactivation. Follow Nuwer on Twitter @RachelNuwerCredit: Nick Higgins. All workshops are online, facilitated by Ambassadors, and include opportunities to interact with our resources and learn from other educators. Developing an Explanation for Tuskless Elephant www.BioInteractive.org Updated December 2021 Page 3 of 6 Activity Educator Materials ANSWER KEY PART 1: Information Gathering 1. If you're interested in using facilitated discussions to promote scientific literacy and empower students to make evidence-based decisions, this article from professor Holly Basta details how she restructured her course to promote student questioning and talk. As poaching in Gorongosa has been stamped out through sustained conservation efforts, the number of baby elephants born tuskless has begun to decrease. 2023 Scientific American, a Division of Springer Nature America, Inc. The researchers first needed to determine whether it was actually the selection from poaching that led to a disproportionate number of tuskless individuals or if it was just some fluke of chance that emerged as the population crashed. The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection and Adaptation, The Origin of Species: The Beak of the Finch, Combatting Problem Fatigue Using BioInteractive Case Studies in an AP Environmental Science Course, Exploring Regeneration Using The Planarian, Priming and Prioritizing Facilitated Discussions, Teaching About Infectious Diseases Using the 5E Model, Simplifying Case Studies Using Data Points, HHMI Expands Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, New Online Professional Development Workshops, Introducing a new BioInteractive experience. This activity explores images of a coral bleaching event, which serve as phenomena for learning about marine ecosystems, human impacts, and climate change. endstream endobj 416 0 obj <. This interactive video explores how scientists identify which bat populations are infected with Nipah virus and could transmit the virus to humans. Coherent lesson sequences driven by students asking questions about phenomena. This interactive module explores the diversity of viruses based on structure, genome type, host range, transmission mechanism, replication cycles, and vaccine availability. After making these observations, Campbell-Staton decided it was time to use a whole-genome analysis to pinpoint the potential genetic factors. Analyze quantitative data in order to make predictions based on evidence. Using Pooles database, they further confirmed that, with a single exception, female elephants with two tusks had never been observed to have a tuskless baby. Its something I had puzzled over for so long, says Poole, co-founder and scientific director of ElephantVoices, a nonprofit science and conservation organization. Most African elephants have tusks, but someabout 2 to 6% of females and even fewer malesnever grow them. The added information provided at pause points within the animation How We Get Our Skin Color allows for a richer exploration of the topic of human skin structure and function. View Tusk-less_Elephant_data_analysis_(Sep_17_2020_at_556_PM).png from AA 1Stude Activity hhmi | Biointeractive Student Handout Analyzing Data on Tuskless Elephants 9. 415 0 obj <> endobj Articles that connect current events to BioInteractive resources. We know we have a lot of work to do to address racial inequities in science teaching. Elephants with large tusks are targeted by poachers who sell the tusks on the ivory market. Key Concepts. The Genetics of Tusklessness in Elephants | HHMI BioInteractive Video biointeractive 2 years ago The Day the Mesozoic Died: The Asteroid That Killed the Dinosaurs HHMI BioInteractive. < > endobj the accompanying worksheet guides students exploration interactive module explores the phases,,. Of work to do to address racial inequities in science teaching elephants killed naturally did have,! In populations of rock pocket mice living in the Serengeti [ 4 @ [ S5MT3M_q+ ; *... 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