Speciation: An Evolutionary Process – Make Up Module
Speciation – The evolutionary process in which new biological species arise.
PRE-LAB
- Read the whole lab unit before coming to lab.
- General Background Information
- View the Hybridized Honeybees Presentation.
- Activity 1 – Procedure II: Micropipetting and gel electrophoresis
- View the following video and animation (make sure to review the lab manual, pp. 38-40):
Gel Electrophoresis – animation - Loading an Agarose Gel – tips for loading gels and what not to do.
- Instructions for loading an agarose gel – video (mixing the same is not as important with our samples)
- View the following video and animation (make sure to review the lab manual, pp. 38-40):
- Speciation – Additional good information on Species and Speciation
- NOTE: You will need a metric ruler (cm/mm) at least 30 cm long and a laptop/tablet screen that is at least 12 inches wide (~30.5 cm) for the In-Lab procedure (see below).
- If you do not have an appropriate ruler, you can arrange a 1 week loan with your lab instructor.
The Roles of different bees
IN-LAB
Morphological Characteristics – Activity 1 – Procedure-I:
- Your TA will assign you to investigate a specific hive group found below. Download your assigned “Group” PDF file (see below) that includes 36 Bee wing pictures. It is important that you are using a laptop/tablet screen that is least 12″ inches wide (~30.5 cm). This is important so that you can see and measure the enlarge whole bee wings viewed in actual size 100% size.
Bee Wing Pictures
Hive 1 – Group 1 Hive 1 – Group 2 Hive 2 – Group 3 Hive 2 – Group 4 Hive 3 – Group 5 Hive 3 – Group 6 - VERY IMPORTANT –> Open the file and download it to your computer. Check under “View” in the PDF menu to make sure that you are viewing at “Actual Size” or “100%”.
- Use a metric ruler (cm/mm) to measure your assigned bee wings on your computer monitor.
- Study the wing diagram to see how to position the ruler parallel to the wing length to determine the length from the notch near the joint to the longest point on the flattened wing. Do not angle the ruler to connect the notch to the longest part of the wing. You may need to rotate some of the images for ease of measuring.
- View this Video on how to measure the bee wing images.
- You will need to CALIBRATE the image on your computer screen to be the same size as your other group members. Using the wing diagram on the first page of wing pictures, measure the length of the horizontal line with arrows. Compare your measurement with all your group members. If the size of the line is not the same, you will need to adjust the size of the image to match one another. Your standard size should be somewhere between 16.0-17.5 cm. Choose a measurement you can all agree upon (ex. 16.5 cm). If you are making up the lab on your own, you only need to be sure to calibrate the image between 16.0-17.5 cm. You so not need to calibrate the image with anyone else.
- If you are working on your own, you will need to measure all 36 wings. If there is another classmate that missed lab, you may be paired up to work together. If so, please evenly divide the wings to measure evenly between each student in your group. If you have 2 students making up lab, each person should measure 18 different wings. There are 12 Known African wings, 12 Known European wings, and 12 Unknown Wings. You will be comparing the length of unknown wings to the other two groups of known bees.
- Record your group data and calculate the average wing lengths in the provided Excel Spreadsheet below.
- If you are working alone, you can use this Downloadable Excel Spreadsheet. If you are working with another student making up the lab, your TA will provide a spreadsheet to use together in a google folder. We highly advice you to work together at the same time since the wing images need to be calibrated together or your data will not be consistent for graphing.
- Video on entering data in the Graphing Excel (or Google) Sheet. The video refers to using an Excel template, but we found the transfer of the Excel sheet to work on in Google sheets does not keep all the settings in our template. Entering the data in the the provided Google Sheet template is the same.
Molecular Characteristics:
In lab you would have run DNA Electrophoresis using samples of mtDNA from bees found in your assigned hive.
Equipment:
The Electrophoretic Process – How DNA Electrophoresis works
Gel Electrophoresis Simulation
Compare your morphological data with the corresponding mtDNA analysis.
Be prepared to present your findings to your TA. Take a screen shot of your graph and gel (from above). Include a written explanation of what this means and what your advise would be to the bee keeper in a Word doc. Email this to your TA to show that you have completed the make up lab.
What can you conclude about the bees in your hive? Explain your supporting evidence. What course of action do you suggest to the Beekeeper of this hive?
What economic implications are at stake making appropriate hive management so important?
POST-LAB
- Take a screen shot of your gel (from above) and an Excel or Google Sheets copy of your data sheet and graph. Include a written explanation of what this means and what your advise would be to the bee keeper in a Word doc. Email this to your TA to show that you have completed the make up lab.
- Complete the End of Lab Unit questions handout attached below and submit on Moodle within 24 hours of the start of lab (or agreed upon day/time with your Lab Instructor).
Post Lab Individual Work-Make Up Lab
Complete this attached End of Unit Questions Handout found here. Upload your work into Moodle by the End of Lab or up to 24 hours after the start of your lab section this week.
Also, turn in a copy of your completed Bee wing data table and graph from the Hive & Group # your TA assigned to you (see above). Refer to the corresponding picture of the Hive mtDNA gel and write an explanation of what the wing size and DNA evidence can tell us about the hive in question.
Plant and Vertebrate Scavenger Hunt
Click on this box to link to further background information supporting Plant and Vertebrate Biodiversity.
Due by the start of your next In Person Lab Unit 7 Fungi & Invertebrates.
Continuation of your Semester Group Ecology Project: (Fall)
Ecology Group Work Week 2
Click to access Unit 4.1 Information about the Ecology Group Presentation.
Use the feedback on your group’s Benchmark #2 to construct your group’s presentation, but do not add any narration yet.
Complete all work within your group’s Google folder AND email 1 copy to your TA to review by Friday 11:59PM of the Ecology Work Week 2. Late presentations will not be reviewed.
You will need to add narration when submitting the Final Presentation in Moodle.
Bee Background Information:
- Africanized Honey Bees: Prevention and Control
- Host-Shifts & Honey Bees: Lessons from COVID-19
- Africanized Honey Bees Some Questions and Answers (NC State Extension)
- The African Honey Bee – 3 papers
- Effects of Non-Native Managed Honey Bees on Native Bee Populations(opens in new window) – new study!
Speciation Information:
Giraffe Genetic Secrets: Four Species of Tallest Mammal Identified