Question

real life scenario: the ozarks collared lizard
a case study on isolated populations
in his childhood years in the ozark mountains, alan templeton loved watching collared lizards. these lizards are colorful and able to run fast on their hind legs. templeton went to further his education and earn a phd, but after returning to the ozarks as an adult, he found that the collared lizards had become difficult to find. their populations had declined.
upon further investigation, templeton realized the problem. collared lizards live in small patches of desert called glades. throughout the past 100 years, fire suppression had become a hot topic within the forest service. red cedar trees, which had been kept to small numbers prior to the firefighting efforts had grown to create large patches of forest. these cedar forests divided the lizard populations.
templeton tried to help the collared lizard populations expand by bringing in new lizards to recolonize the glades. eventually, templeton’s research on the declining lizard populations was used to convince local residents that prescribed burns were required on two mountains (stegall & thorny) to quell the red cedar forests, allowing greater dispersal of the collared lizards that remained.
discussion questions:

1. what type of isolation was occurring in the collared lizard population?
2. what might have happened to the collared lizard populations in the ozarks if templeton hadn’t noticed a problem?
3. when did templeton attempt to reintroduce new lizards? were these methods successful? give evidence from the graph to explain your answer.
4. explain why the number of occupied glades rises quickly after 1994.
5. if you had lived in the ozarks during the time of templeton’s lizard reintroduction, would you have voted to allow prescribed burns in the forests? why or why not?

Explanation:

1. Geographical isolation: The red - cedar forests created by fire suppression divided the lizard populations, physically separating them from each other.
2. Further decline or extinction: Without Templeton's intervention, the isolated lizard populations would likely have continued to decline due to inbreeding, reduced genetic diversity, and limited access to resources, potentially leading to local extinction.
3. Timing and success: The text doesn't specify an exact time for re - introduction. Evidence from the graph (not described in detail here but presumably showing an increase in occupied glades or lizard numbers) could show an upward trend in lizard - related metrics after re - introduction attempts, indicating success.
4. Habitat improvement: After 1994, prescribed burns likely occurred, reducing the red - cedar forests and opening up more glades for the lizards to occupy, leading to a quick rise in the number of occupied glades.
5. Subjective decision: Reasons for voting yes could include conservation of the unique lizard species and maintaining ecological balance. Reasons for voting no could include concerns about air pollution, property damage, or potential harm to other forest species.

Answer:

1. Geographical isolation.
2. They might have further declined or gone extinct.
3. Time not specified; success could be indicated by upward trends in relevant graph metrics.
4. Prescribed burns likely improved lizard habitat.
5. Subjective; yes for conservation, no for potential negative impacts.