Cichlids were introduced into Lake Ejagham in Cameroon. The cichlids that live o
ID: 3164561 • Letter: C
Question
Cichlids were introduced into Lake Ejagham in Cameroon. The cichlids that live on the edge living in the deeper central parts of the lake have smaller bodies. Over time, two separate species emerged. (14 points) Identity the type of speciation that occurred in the population What phenomena lead to due Jive lames Assume that environmental conditions changed forcing more cichlids toward the deeper center of the lake. Mating occurredbetween the two species generating a hybrids species that were just as fit as the parent species and describe what would happen to species and the reproductive barriers, Assume the hybrid species generated in the hybrids zones were less than the parent species Briefly describe what would happen to the reproductive barriers. Describe what the term fitness means, According to the current species concept, what parameters must be met? describe why the currently accepted species does not apply neatly to the bacteria.
Explanation / Answer
The Cichlids were introduced into the lake environment. Some of them inhabited the edges and some in the deeper middle parts of the lake. These two population of same fishes were isolated by niche or habitat separation. There is no physical separation nor a genetic polymorphism. Over the time, the fishes continue to mate within the same habitat. The fishes in both habitats slowly evolve into two different species. This type of speciation event is called Parapatric speciation. The reproductive separation due to different niche leads to speciation.
WIth the time, the fishes from an edge of the lake where forced to migrate into the deeper lake waters. This led to the mating of two different species and emergence of a hybrid species. This species would be very well suited for the hybrid zone of the two habitats. In terms of reproductive fitness, the hybrid species will have higher reproductive fitness compared to parents. The reproductive barrier which was present between the two parent species is lost and random mating between members of a different population of species is possible. This will change the genetic equilibrium in the lake population and eventually loss of parent species.
In order to characterise two species as different, they must not be able to reproduce successfully. A reproductive barrier is crucial for species. Species is defined as the group of closely related organisms that can interbreed. This applies only to Eukaryotes and not perfectly to prokaryotes.
Prokaryotes divide asexually and have multiple ways to acquire new genes and characters. The bacteria is not always bound by the reproductive barrier. Hence it does not neatly apply to prokaryotes.