Measuring a Fitness Component in Students:
Fluctuating Asymmetry

Buzz Hoagland (1), Steve Brewer (2), and Tom Hoogendyk (2)

(1) Biology Department, Westfield State College and (2) Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Many students in introductory biology courses substitute the concept of physical fitness for the important biological concept of evolutionary fitness. This is likely a result of the many evolutionary misconceptions that students bring into our biology classes. Another contributing factor to this mis-understanding is the lack of meaningful experience with measuring fitness in the laboratory. The exercise described herein gives students an opportunity to measure a fitness component and analyze real data using simple tools and a spreadsheet program.

Workshop exercise available (PDF, 16KB).