Homework Question on Biology (and other Life Sciences)
- Find file with instructions here. https://www.dropbox.com/s/es8jppszsyckyme/48728462_image_1.jpg?dl=0
- When a single founder species encounters an ecological opportunity and gives rise to many different species, we call it.B.What characteristics of the cichlids are thought to have predisposed them to occupy different ecological niches?
- Different species may arise when a population is split for an extended time, and each sub-population diverges genetically. The genetic divergence can result to either a premating or postmating isolating mechanism which prevents remixing of the gene pools. Describe an example from the film of isolation of populations by a behavioral mechanism.Wouldthis example be premating or postmating isolation?
- Relate an example of an interaction between two species that would qualify as both parasitism and frequency dependent selection. Be clear in pointing out why it is both.
- Argue for or against this premise: An adaptive landscape was pre-existing in Lake Tanganyika this was eventually filled by cichlid species.
- Puffer fish concentrate contain a deadly toxin in their gall bladders (several sushi enthusiasts die every year from eating improperly prepared raw puffer fish, called fugu) yet the puffer fish do not display bright warning colors like some animals do. Why do you suppose that is?
Homework Answer on Biology (and other Life Sciences)
Question 1
Answer
Speciation.
Question 1b
Answer
One behavior of the cichlids is that they have mouth brooders and this is where the mothers carry eggs and young cichlids in their mouths until the eggs hatch or the young ones are old enough to take care of themselves but will still keep them protected from predation. Cichlids are also known to be very aggressive in the sense that they are predatory and territorial towards other different species and fish. The also exist in groupings of similar species.
Question 2
Answer
In the video, isolation occurs when the cichlid species are separated by flooding and siltation that encompasses rocks inhabited by cichlids. The fish living under the rock does not want to swim over to the other side and so isolation occurs.The situation is enhanced through color selection by breeding females. This is thus an example of premating isolation because mating is prevented from taking place by barriers.