species concepts Flashcards
Define character based species concepts and give to examples where the concept is useful and when it isnt.
-Defines species through characteristics sich as morphology or DNA sequences/
-Can cause confusion when species display sexual dimorphism, are at different life stages, or two seperate species have similar morphology due to convergent evolution.
-Helpful when studying fossils or during fieldwork when there is no access to other information
Define biological species concepts and give to examples where the concept is useful and when it isnt.
-Defines species in terms of gene flow/exchange between populations. If individuals can breed and produce viable offspring and share genetic information, they are considered the same species. -If species cannot reproduce with other individuals it is an isolated species.
-Not useful in asexually producing organisms
-helpful for species that appear morphologically identical, eg Western and Eastern Meadowlarks
-species form one single branch on phylogenetic tree and have a MRCA.
-help when this genetic/fossil data is available
-however factors such as incomplete sorting, ancestral polymorphism could result in species being more closely related to other branches
