B15.4 Speciation

Question 1

What did Alfred Wallace do ?

Answer 1

Worked on natural selection at the same time as Darwin which prompted Darwin to publish his book ‘on the origins of species’
He later worked on the theory of speciation

Question 2

What is a species ?

Answer 2

A group of similar organisms that can reproduce to give fertile offspring

Question 3

What is speciation ?

Answer 3

The formation of a new species

Question 4

What are the steps of speciation ?

Answer 4

Variation within population due to random genetic mutation
Population becomes isolated due to geographical barriers
Natural selections occurs
Different traits/ alleles become more frequent within the population
Over time the 2 populations will change so much that they no longer can re produce fertile offspring