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Rapid Adaptation of Bean Beetles to a Novel Host

Bean beetles (Callosobruchus maculatus) are phytophagous insects that lay their eggs on the surface of several species of beans in the family Fabaceae. Larval development is completed within the bean. Therefore, we would expect strong selection when the beetle switches to a new host. Students are provided with live cultures of beetles containing adults that have been raised on mung beans (Vigna radiata) for many generations; they also are given cultures that were originally grown on mung beans, but were recently switched to another bean species. In this exercise, students design and conduct an experiment to determine whether beetles have adapted to the new host. In the first class period, students design and set up the experiment. In subsequent sessions, they isolate beans with eggs and record data on life history traits including time to emergence and mass at emergence to evaluate the success of beetles on their historic and novel hosts.

http://www.beanbeetles.org/protocols/rapid_adaptation/downloads.html
Associated files
Temporal and geographic description one 2-3 hour class period, plus 1 hour class period 48 hours later, 15 minutes daily for 2 weeks about 4 weeks later
Format
Resource Group TIEE
Resource Group Link https://ecoed.esa.org/index.php?P=SearchResults&F46=TIEE
Primary or BEN resource type
Discipline Specific Core Concepts
Life science discipline (subject)
Keywords Ecology, Evolution, Fitness, Environmental Changes, Adaptation
Audience
Intended End User Role
Language
Educational Language
Pedagogical Use Category
Pedagogical Use Description N/A
Aggregation Level
Structure
Url http://www.beanbeetles.org/protocols/rapid_adaptation/synopsis.html
Full Name of Primary Author Christopher Beck
Primary Author Controlled Name
Primary Author Affiliation Christopher Beck,
Emory University and Lawrence S. Blumer, Morehouse College
Primary Author email christopher.beck@emory.edu

LBlumer@morehouse.edu
Added By Id
  • educationintern
Rights N/A
License
Publisher
Review type
Drought and Water Ecosystem Services Collection Off
Conservation Targets Under Global Change Collection Off
Big Data Collection Off
Editors Choice No
Resource Status
Date Of Record Submission 2011-03-07
I Agree to EcoEdDL's Copyright Policy & Terms of Use No
Date Of Record Release 2011-03-09 09:59:06
Last Modified By Id
  • tmourad
Date Last Modified 2021-11-01 18:23:26
Release Flag Published

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