Speciation Among Lizards Essay

Purpose

The purpose of this lab is to determine how Speciation occurs through the separation of a group of lizards with one group placed in a different habitat and the other group on its original habitat. This separation can be man-made or through a natural disaster like a hurricane. This separation would then cause the creation of two different species.

Introduction

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a species as a “group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants”. This means that they can interbreed with each other. If however there are two groups of species that are nearly identical with each other but cannot interbreed they are considered as two different species.
Speciation is the formation of new species through evolution. It occurs when a single species evolves into two or more different independent species (Gittleman,2014). When two groups of the same species is separated geographically reproductive isolation occurs. This means that if they are brought back together they do not mate with each other.

Hypothesis/Predicted Outcome

The isolated group of lizards which were placed in a different habitat would evolve in order to survive their new environment creating a new specie.

Methods

A specific species of lizard was used in this study. This lizards was then separated into two with one group placed in their original habitat in the forest and the other placed in an isolated island. Every week for a period of two months, both groups were observed. The observations were then tabulated.

Results/Outcome

The two groups of lizards were observed every week for a period of two months. The following table shows the observations done.
As seen on the table above, the lizards on the island gradually adapted to their new environment and formed a different species from the one on the forest

Discussion/Analysis

In the early stages of separation, the reproduction is very low since the living conditions were changed. In this new environment, the lizards had a different diet than in their previous habitat.
Based on the results, the lizards on the island a gradually changing in response to their new environment. This is in order for them to survive this new habitat. This impact over time would cause the species to evolve and form a new specie. The result was as expected based on the previously known about speciation.
Evolution occurs due to many different factors such as change in temperature, change in diet, and change in living conditions. This does not happens instantly but occurs during a significant amount of time.

References

Gittleman, J. A. (2014, August 27). Speciation. Retrieved January 17, 2015 from http://www.britannica.com/
Speciation. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary. Retrieved January 16, 2015 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/species