Summary Of Blanding's Turtles

By analyzing the microsatellite alleles and comparing the observed heterozygosity in two populations of Blanding’s Turtles, an understanding about how and why genetic variation occurs within different populations of the same species may be obtained. Genetic variation is the basis for evolutionary change, and refers to the differences among individuals in the composition of their genes; examining the genetic variation that may be present in different populations of Blanding’s Turtles may provide meaningful insights into biology, such as being able to understand and predict both the patterns and processes of evolution and fitness in distinct populations.