Speciation

Question 1

What is speciation?

Answer 1

Is the process of a new species developing due to variation, isolation and selection leading to groups becoming so different they can no longer interbreed.

Question 2

What are the 4 steps of speciation?

Answer 2

1. Variation.
2. Isolation.
3. Selection.
4. Speciation.

Question 3

Describe step one (variation).

Answer 3

A range of variations exists within the population which shares a common gene pool.

Question 4

Describe step two (isolation).

Answer 4

A barrier forms and divides the population into two preventing interbreeding and gene flow.

Question 5

Describe step three (selection).

Answer 5

Each population is subjected to different selection pressures which brings about a change in the allele frequencies of each gene pool.

Question 6

Describe step four (speciation).

Answer 6

The allele frequency changes until the populations become so different that the two groups are no longer able to interbreed or produce fertile offspring.