It's Not Fair!
A simulation of the roles of mutation
and chance in natural selection

Georgianna Saunders (gls294f@smsu.edu   or   gigisaunders@smsu.edu)
and Janice Schnake Greene (jsg326f@smsu.edu   or   janicegreene@smsu.edu)

Southwest Missouri State University

Adapted from: The Evolution Simulation Game.  By Kathy James, Carleton College, Northfield Minnesota.  Printed in: Teaching Secondary School Science: Strateigies for developing scientific literacy.  7th edition.  L. W. Trowbridge, R. W. Bybee, and J. C. Powell.  2000.  Prentice-Hall, Inc.  Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.  pgs. 456-460.

Note: these instructions are copied in their entirety; no clarifications or corrections have been made.  The only change made has been reformating to fit in web format.

Rules of the Game

1. All players begin as the same organism (a salamander) with the following features:
 A. Salamanders are small amphibians that live in water or in moist terrestrial habitats
 B. Color -  red; Skin - moist, soft; Size - 6 inches long; Body temperature - cold blooded; Diet - invertebrates
 C. Reproduction - Attracts mate by smell
    Mates on land
    Lays eggs in shallow pools of water
    Does not care for young in any way
 D. Behavior -  Does not hibernate
     Rests at night in holes in the ground, under logs, or wherever it can find some shelter
    Mute
 E. Physiology -    Low endurance - must rest after moving continuously for several
      minutes
     Weak swimmer - is carried away by a current flowing faster than half a mile per hour
    Moves slowly on land and cannot jump
     Body and eggs absorb salts from salt water so it cannot survive in a saltwater environment
 F. Habitat -  Forested regions bordered by a large river.  There are many other organisms. Winters are not severe; snow rarely accumulates.

2. The game will be organized into rounds that represent periods of roughly 1 million years.  These rounds will be organized as follows.

 A. At the beginning of each round each player picks up to 2 mutations from a list displayed at the front.  Many mutations will appear in more than one round with new mutations added in each round.
 B. Each mutation is permanent to the player's species and will be effective in all the following rounds.
 C. Any new mutation replaces any contradicting traits which are indicated by brackets [ ] after the mutation.
 D. Some mutations require previous mutations.  These prerequisites are listed in parentheses ( ) after the mutation.
 E. After mutations are chosen, an environmental change is randomly picked from the list.  These environmental changes only have an effect in the round in which they are chosen and should not be used twice; no points will be gained or lost for past environmental change.
 
3. Scoring

 A. Each student (or team) begins with 5 points.  A score of zero (0) represents extinction and the player is out of the game.   Players attempt to survive and increase their scores.
  1. If an environmental change is beneficial, +1
  2. If an environmental change is detrimental, -1

Mutations

Round 1
1. Dryer skin
5. Develops brown pigment, producing reddish brown color [cancels 8, 10]
9. Develops green pigment, producing green spots [cancels 6, 8]
15. Develops toxic skin secretions that taste bad to predators
16. Develops bright orange coloration (15)
17. Adds small canines, allowing consumption of larger prey (16)
21. Becomes warm blooded (1)
27. Develops a protective covering on eggs
28. Lays eggs on land (27)
34. Changes in circulation and muscle physiology increase endurance (21)
35. Develops webbed feet
40. Increases size 50 percent (34)

Round 2
7. Develops white pigment, producing spotted white coloration [cancels 6,10]
10. Increases green pigment, producing solid green color (9)
14. Skin becomes impermeable to salts found in salt water
15. Develops toxic skin secretions that taste bad to predators
16. Develops bright orange coloration (15)
19. Develops claws
21. Becomes warm blooded (1)
27. Develops a protective covering on eggs
29. Develops pigment in egg shell, which acts as a camouflage (27)
30. Cares for eggs and young
36. Leg length doubles, producing longer legs in proportion to body size, allowing organism to flee from some predators (34)
40. Increases size 50 percent (34)

Round 3
2. Develops scales (1)
3. Develops toxic eggs
12. Changes in pigmentation allow rapid color changes, such as those occurring in chameleons (5,9) [cancels 11]
15. Develops toxic skin secretions that taste bad to predators
20. Develops a longer tongue, which allows the organism to catch flying insects
22. Becomes nocturnal
26. Burrows, nesting under ground (19)
28. Lays eggs on land (27)
30. Cares for young after eggs hatch
33. Uses voice to attract mates [replaces scent used to attract a mate]
34. Changes in circulation and muscle physiology increase endurance (21)
39. Develops fins (35) [cancels 37, 38]

Round 4
6. Increases brown pigment, producing solid brown color (5)
8. Increases white pigment, producing solid white color (7)
11. Seasonal color changes (5, 7, or 9) [cancels 12]
18. Develops larger canines, allowing consumption of larger prey
19. Develops claws
23. Builds a den/nest
29. Develops pigment in egg shell, which acts as a camouflage (27)
31. Becomes a marsupial (30)
36. Leg length doubles, producing longer legs in proportion to body size, and allowing organism to flee from some predators (34)
38. Loses limbs [cancels 35, 36, 37, 39]
39. Develops fins (35) [cancels 37,38]
41. Lives in water continually (35)

Round 5
1. Dryer skin
3. Develops toxic eggs
4. Develops cryoprotectant chemicals
5. Develops brown pigment, producing reddish brown color [cancels 8, 10]
13. Variety in pigment so that mates are attracted by coloring (5, 7, or 9) [replaces use of scent to attract a mate so scent is lost]
15. Develops toxic skin secretions that taste bad to predators
16. Develops bright orange coloration (15)
24. Spends part of its waking hours in trees (19)
32. Carries young to term (30)
34. Changes in circulation and muscle physiology increase endurance (21)
35. Develops webbed feet
36. Leg length doubles, producing longer legs in proportion to body size, allowing organism to flee from some predators (34)

Round 6
2. Develops scales (1)
14. Skin becomes impermeable to salts found in salt water
19. Develops claws
20. Develops a longer tongue, which allows the organism to catch flying insects
21. Becomes warm blooded (1)
26. Burrows, nesting under ground (19)
28. Lays eggs on land (27)
30. Cares for eggs and young
33. Uses voice to attract mates [replaces scent used to attract a mate]
37. Develops stronger leg muscles
39. Develops fins (35) [cancels 37, 38]
40. Increases size 50 percent (34)

Round 7
6. Increases brown pigment, producing solid brown (5)
7. Develops white pigment, producing spotted white coloration [cancels 6, 10]
10. Increases green pigment, producing solid green color (9)
11. Seasonal color changes (5, 7, or 9) [cancels 12]
17. Adds small canines, allowing organism to eat mice-sized rodents (16)
18. Develops larger canines, allowing the organism to eat larger prey (17)
22. Becomes nocturnal
23. Builds a den/nest
24. Spends part of its waking hours in trees (19)
32. Carries young to term (30) [cancels 31]
36. Leg length doubles, producing longer legs in proportion to body size, and allowing for swifter running--twice as fast as before
38. Loses limbs [cancels 35, 36, 37, 39]

Round 8
4. Develops cryoprotectant chemicals
8. Increases white pigment, producing spotted white [cancels 6, 10]
9. Develops green pigment, producing spotted green [cancels 6, 8]
19. Develops claws
29. Develops pigment in egg shell, which acts as a camouflage (27)
31. Becomes a marsupial (30) [cancels 28]
34. Changes in circulatory system increase endurance
36. Leg length doubles, producing longer legs in proportion to body size, and allowing for swifter running--twice as fast as before
37. Develops stronger leg muscles
39. Develops fins (35) [cancels 37, 38]
40. Increases size 50 percent (34)
41. Lives in water continually (34, 35)

Round 9
2. Develops scales (1)
3. Develops toxic eggs
5. Develops brown pigment, producing reddish brown color [cancels 8, 10]
13. Variety in pigment so that mates are attracted by coloring (5, 7, or 9) [replaces use of scent to attract a mate so scent is lost]
22. Becomes nocturnal
33. Uses voice to attract mates [replaces scent used to attract a mate]

Round 10
13. Variety in pigment so that mates are attracted by coloring (5, 7, or 9) [replaces use of scent to attract a mate so scent is lost]
14. Skin becomes impermeable to salts found in salt water
35. Develops webbed feet
36. Leg length doubles, producing longer legs in proportion to body size, allowing the organism to flee from some predators (34)
39. Develops fins (35) [cancels 37, 38]
40. Increases size 50 percent (34)

Environmental Changes

1. Flies begin to be seen in the area [20].
2. Temperatures drop where temperatures are now consistently below freezing and snow accumulates [hurts all except 4, 21].
3. Drought: small pools dry up and the river level drops 2 feet [hurts those without 28, 31, 32].
4. Rabbits begin to populate the region [helps those with 18].
5. The population of songbirds in the region increases [little effect].
6. A population of freshwater carnivorous turtles moves into the river [hurts those without 28 and those with 41].
7. A population of freshwater fish that eats eggs laid in the water moves into the river [hurts those without 28 unless they also have 30; helps those with 18].
8. A snake similar to a rattlesnake develops in the region; snakes locate their prey by warner body temperatures [hurts those with 21 unless they have 40].
9. Hawks migrate into the region [hurts those without some form of protective coloring].
10. A weasel moves into the region; weasels locate their prey by scent [hurts those without 13 or 33; helps those with 18 and 40 four times].
11. A flood washes away regions near the river [hurts those without 24].
12. Sewage dumped into the river contaminates the river [hurts those with 41 and those without 28 or 31].
13. An oil spill contaminates the saltwater sea [hurts those with 14]
14. People begin to hunt species over 15 inches long [hurts those without 40 four or more times].
 
 

Round #	Mutation(s)	Mutation Description	Environmental Change	Points (start with 5)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

 

Answer the following questions after completing the exercise.

1. Did your organism survive or go extinct?
2. Describe your organism after all the rounds.  Include in your description all components that are included in the original description.  If you organism went extinct, describe it when it went extinct.
3. A. Can your organism survive in its current habitat?  If not, explain where it would have to live.
 B. Could it survive in other habitats now e.g., colder, warmer, wetter, dryer, grasslands, etc?  Explain.
4. Were any of your mutations actually detrimental to the organism when an environmental change occurred?  Explain.
5. Which environmental changes were most detrimental to your organism?