Evolution Canyons I and II are found in Israel in the Carmel and Galilee Mountain ranges (the images below show Evolution Canyon I (ECI) in Lower Nahal Oren, Mount Carmel, Israel). These areas are ideal for the study of evolution because each range has a north-facing slope with relatively temperate environmental conditions and a south-facing slope with relatively extreme UV radiation (the south-facing slopes receive 200--800% more solar radiation than the north-facing slopes), daily temperature variation, and dry, arid conditions.
Scientists are interested in exploring how these different environmental conditions lead to evolutionary changes in organisms. An example of an evolutionary change is a change in coat color in mammals. Many mammals, particularly prey organisms, have evolved coat coloration that matches their environment to provide camouflage from predators. Singaravelan et al (2010) investigated how the hair color of spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus ) has evolved in response to whether the mice live on the temperate north-facing slope or the extreme south-facing slope of the Evolution Canyon. Melanin is the protein that is responsible for hair color in spiny mice (and other animals) and there are two main forms of melanin: pheomelanin results in yellow to brown hair color and eumelanin results in gray to black hair color.
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