Question

You continue to visit an island over the years and each time you do, you take body measurements for lizards. You notice that the tails of each successive generation are getting longer/curlier. Define this type of selection. Develop a hypothesis that explains the increased tail length assuming no migration and a constant environment

Answer 1

This phenomenon is called Natural Selection.

• Natural Selection is a key mechanism of evolution resulting in the change of heritable traits characteristic of a population over generations.
• In this example, the successive generation of lizards tail getting longer/curlier is due to Mutation. Mutation and Natural selection are interconnected. As nature force the organism to adapt under different environment, variation occurs by random mutations.
• Mutation is a process of changing of the structure of a gene, resulting in variation that may be transmitted to successive generations, caused by the alteration of single base units in DNA.
• Mutation can be deletion, insertion, or rearrangement of larger sections of genes or chromosomes.

Hypothesis

The reason behind the increased tail length is due to Mutation.

a) May be lizard tail is curlier is to hold on trees and plants.

b) Used to be supportive role to hold the prey.

c) May be used as defensive mechanism against predators.