KIOSC 

Year 12 Biology

Earlier this term, Year 12 students KIOSC where they were immersed in a session researching the relatedness of various lemur species from Madagascar.  

They initially used morphological traits (fur colour, size, shape) to group the lemurs.  They then used their Unit 3 DNA manipulation skills to amplify the amount of DNA (through PCR), cut the DNA into segments (using restriction enzymes) and finally gel electrophoresis to separate the DNA fragments. 

Using this information, and their understanding of the mechanism of natural selection and evolution, they then explained how the various lemurs ended up having different characteristics and becoming separate species.

Peter Kos

Leader of Science and KIOSC