Lizard-Evolution-Virtual-Lab-Student-Worksheet 1
Lizard-Evolution-Virtual-Lab-Student-Worksheet 1
Lizard-Evolution-Virtual-Lab-Student-Worksheet 1
Student Handout
3. Provide
one
evolutionary
explanation
for
why
lizards
living
in
the
same
part
of
the
habitat
(i.e.,
grass)
would
have
similar
characteristics.
An eco morph is a species who has the same structural habitat, but
are not the same as the original species. An example is the
grass-bush anole.
5. How
is
an
ecomorph
different
from
a
species?
They evolve into different forms to help survive.
They evolve to survive their habitat.
6. Explain
how
a
particular
body
feature
of
one
of
the
lizard
ecomorphs
from
the
virtual
lab
is
an
adaptation
to
their
particular
niche.
Crown Giant Ecomorphs live at the top of the trees. They are
large in size and have long legs to jump from tree to tree, which
is important for their habitat.
www.BioInteractive.org
February 2015
Page 1 of 6
Virtual Lab
Lizard Evolution Virtual Lab
Student Handout
Module
2:
Phylogeny
1. In
module
1,
you
identified
which
species
of
lizards
were
most
similar
to
one
another
based
on
relative
limb
length
and
toe
pad
size.
In
this
module,
you
determined
which
lizards
are
more
similar
to
one
another
based
on
what
type
of
information?
2. Are
the
species
of
lizard
that
are
more
similar
to
one
another
according
to
body
type
also
more
closely
related
based
on
the
results
obtained
in
this
module?
www.BioInteractive.org
February 2015
Page 2 of 6
Virtual Lab
Lizard Evolution Virtual Lab
Student Handout
3. The
figures
below
show
two
phylogenetic
trees
similar
to
the
one
you
constructed
in
the
virtual
lab
but
with
more
lizards.
The
trees
below
show
the
evolutionary
relationships
among
species
from
four
ecomorphs
from
the
four
largest
Caribbean
islands.
Figure
1.
Phylogeny
of
anole
lizards
on
four
of
the
major
Caribbean
islands
color-coded
according
to
geographical
distribution.
Light
dotted
line,
Puerto
Rico;
small
dashed
line,
Cuba;
large
dashed
line,
Hispaniola;
and
solid
line,
Jamaica.
Figure
2.
Phylogeny
of
anole
lizards
in
the
four
major
Caribbean
islands
colored
in
according
to
ecomorph.
Light
dotted
line,
twig;
small
dashed
line,
trunk-ground;
large
dashed
line,
trunk-
crown;
solid
line,
grass-bus.
What
conclusion
can
you
draw
about
the
evolution
of
the
Anolis
lizards
based
on
these
figures?
February 2015
Page 3 of 6
Virtual Lab
Lizard Evolution Virtual Lab
Student Handout
4. What
is
convergent
evolution?
Use
evidence
from
the
trees
to
explain
how
the
Anolis
lizards
are
an
example
of
this
concept.
Module
3:
Experimental
Data
1. In
Dr.
Lososs
experiment,
why
was
it
important
that
the
experimental
islands
lacked
lizards?
2. Dr.
Lososs
data
suggest
that
after
only
a
few
generations,
the
lizards
on
the
experimental
islands
have
shorter
legs
on
average
than
the
lizards
on
the
larger
island.
Explain
how
the
data
you
collected
either
supports
or
does
not
support
this
claim.
3. Based
on
what
you
know
about
the
experimental
islands
and
the
lizards
that
were
placed
on
these
islands,
explain
how
and
why
the
average
leg
length
of
the
population
might
change
over
time.
Include
the
concept
of
natural
selection
in
your
discussion.
The leg length average may evolve to longer legs if that is what
is needed to survive.
4. If
the
population
from
one
of
the
experimental
islands
was
reintroduced
on
the
original
island,
do
you
predict
that
lizards
from
the
two
populations
would
still
mate
and
reproduce?
Justify
your
answer
with
scientific
arguments.
www.BioInteractive.org
February 2015
Page 4 of 6
Virtual Lab
Lizard Evolution Virtual Lab
Student Handout
The brighter the dewalp, normally the darker the environment is. So
since cristatellus lizards like a shady environment, their dewalp is
much brighter.
2. From
the
bar
graph
generated
in
the
virtual
lab
(see
below),
how
do
the
dewlap
colors
of
the
two
species
compare?
3. How
would
you
determine
whether
the
difference
between
the
two
populations
is
statistically
significant?
Compare charts!
4. If
a
species
of
anoles
with
dark
dewlaps
colonized
a
heavily
forested
island,
predict
what
would
happen
over
time
to
the
color
of
the
dewlap.
Using
your
knowledge
of
natural
selection
and
genetics,
explain
your
prediction.
February 2015
Page 5 of 6
Virtual Lab
Lizard Evolution Virtual Lab
Student Handout
Extension
Questions
1. To
minimize
interspecific
competition,
organisms
often
divide
the
limited
available
resources
in
an
area,
a
concept
called
resource
partitioning.
As
an
example
of
this
concept,
the
figure
below
illustrates
how
different
species
of
warblers
utilize
different
portions
of
an
individual
tree.
Figure
3.
Different
species
of
North
American
warblers
live
in
different
parts
of
the
same
trees.
The
shaded
areas
indicate
the
habitats
each
warbler
species
occupies.
2. Explain
how
the
different
species
of
anoles
on
an
island
demonstrate
resource
partitioning
similar
to
the
warblers
in
the
figure.
3. Explain
how
resource
partitioning
can
promote
long-term
coexistence
of
competing
species,
thus
increasing
biodiversity.
February 2015
Page 6 of 6