Video: Natural Selection and Climate Change

A video that shows that climate change can be a selective pressure in natural selection that can lead to the ‘evolutionary rescue’ of a species.

Students will learn about the Snowshoe hares in North America. They will understand how reduced snowfall due to a warming climate can behave as a selective pressure on the seasonal coat colour polymorphism of the species.

Use this tool to help students find answers to:

  1. What is genetic polymorphism?
  2. What is selective pressure? How could climate change act as a selective pressure in the evolution of a species of organisms?

About the Tool

Tool Name Will Snowshoe Hares Win a Race Between Evolution and Climate Change
Discipline Biological Sciences
Topic(s) in Discipline

Natural Selection, Selective Pressure, Evolution, Speciation, Evolutionary Hotspots,

Genetic Polymorphism, Genetic Variants, Adaptive Advantage, Snowshoe hares, Coat Colour Polymorphism

Climate Topic Climate and the Biosphere
Type of Tool Video
Grade Level High school, Undergraduate
Location North America, USA, Washington State
Language English
Translation  
Developed by National Geographic
Hosted at National Geographic YouTube Channel
Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwZzmTuhs3M
Access Online
Computer Skills Basic

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