Kris-Ann Jackson

Zooniverse Reflection (Squirrelmapper and Dolphin Spotter):
By recording coat color (gray, black, or albino), living status (alive vs. dead), and immediate environment (road or non-road surface) on SquirrelMapper, you directly map how phenotypic genetic variation intersects with modern selective pressures. When you track which color morphs end up as roadkill, you help capture differential survival in action. A black squirrel might stand out sharply on light asphalt compared to a gray one, or vice versa, making surface type a distinct selective pressure. Rather than looking at evolution as a slow process frozen in textbook history, gathering these details shows how human infrastructure continuously shapes which traits survive and get passed down.

Watching dolphin interactions with other dolphins, divers, fish, or by themselves links directly to what we learned in biology about behavioral adaptations and evolutionary fitness. Categorizing social behaviors shows how living in cooperative groups increases overall survival through mutual cooperation, while tracking how dolphins hunt fish demonstrates predator prey dynamics and energy conservation strategies. Even reactions to human divers highlight how species adapt their behaviors to new environmental presence. Overall, recording these actions shows how inherited behavior functions as a trait that helps organisms survive and reproduce in their ecosystems.