Speciation

Question 1

What is a species?

Answer 1

• A group of genetically similair organisms that can interbreed to give fertile offspring

Question 2

What is speciation?

Answer 2

• Proposed by Alfred Wallae
• The formation of a new species

Question 3

Explain the process of speciation

Answer 3

• Isolation: a physical barrier (river) seperates two populations of the same species
• Each side of the barrier has different environmental factors (climate, food source)
• Each side has different selection ressures and different desirable traits
• Natural selection: populations evolve to posses different desired traits
• After many generations, the populations come into contact and can no longer interbreed to give fertile offspring
• Speciation has occured and there are now a new species