Co-evolution

The co-evolution activity we partook in during class involved separating into three groups, each a different variation of a species. Each group had different kinds of beaks with different evolutionary benefits; one group used plasticware spoons for beaks, the other forks, and one knives. Our food source consisted of various bean kinds. Initially, we'd count out a certain number of each bean and combine them. We then would stand in a circle on the floor, ready to get at the beans that would be poured on the floor. Naturally, it was more difficult for some of the beaks to gather the food, due to their shape (the knives had the hardest time). Even still, the food source eventually declined, decreasing the number of people per beak. When someone died off one group, they were added to a different once, hence evolving a different kind of beak. We repeated this process a couple times. Co-evolution is the evolution of two species in which the evolution of one affects the evolution of another. This activity demonstrates co-evolution because the evolutionary disadvantages of the knife beaks evolved into the evolutionary advantages of the spoons, through natural selection. The spoons were more fit (and sometimes the forks) to pick up beans than the knives. I happened to be in the knife group. One strategy we came up with was to flip the beans up with the tip of the knife, and catch it in our hand. We eventually came to the conclusion that it worked better to help push the beans onto the knives of our fellow knife beaks. I think this is a good activity to do with kids, and I would like to do it with my students some time in the future.