Chapter 17
Population Genetics and Speciation
Section 3
Speciation
This section explains how scientists define a species
and how they know when a new species is formed.
It also discusses extinction and how it relates to
evolution and speciation.
Speciation: is the process of forming new species by
evolution from preexisting species.
Defining Species
• Scientists may use more than one definition for species.
• The definition used depends on the organisms and field of science being
studied.
• A species can be defined as a group of natural populations that can interbreed
and produce healthy, fertile offspring.
• This definition is based on the biological species concept.
• The biological species concept, which defines species as interbreeding groups
cannot be applied to all organisms.
• It does not apply to those that reproduce asexually, or that are known only
from fossils.
• So, instead of the biological species concept, species may be defined based
on:
Their physical features
Their ecological roles
Their genetic relatedness
Forming New Species
• Each population of a single species lives in a different place.
• In each place, natural selection acts upon each population and tends to result in
offspring that are better adapted to each specific environment.
• If the environments differ, the adaptations may differ.
• This is called divergence and can lead to the formation of new species.
• Divergence: is the accumulation of differences between populations and lead to
speciation.
• Speciation has occurred when the net effects of evolutionary forces result in a
population that has unique features and is reproductively isolated.
Reproductive Isolation
• Reproductive isolation is a state in which two populations can no longer
interbreed to produce future offspring.
• From this point on, the groups may be subject to different forces, so they will
tend to diverge over time.
• Through divergence over time, populations of the same species may differ
enough to be considered subspecies.
• Subspecies are simply populations that have taken a step toward
speciation by diverging in some detectable way.
• This may only be apparent after the passage of time.
• So, when 2 groups stop interbreeding, they undergo different forces, lead
to divergence over time, which leads to speciation.
• The new species that was formed are called Subspecies.
Mechanisms of Isolation
Any of the following mechanisms may contribute to the reproductive
isolation of populations:
• Geography
• Ecological Niche
• Mating Behavior and Timing
• Polyploidy
• Hybridization
Geography Ecological niche Mating Polyploidy Hybridization
behavior and
timing
A physical Niche is the role that Means to have A polyploid Is reproduction that doesn’t fit
barrier could the species has in its specific behaviors organism has future generations very well.
prevent environment, for attracting received a Two closely related species may
interbreeding. including all of its mates such as a duplicate set of mate.
interactions with pattern of sounds chromosomes by Their offspring called hybrids.
other species. or actions. accident. In cases in which the two species
Divergence can occur Some undergo A polyploid cannot are sufficiently diverged from
when populations use mating at specific pair gametes with each other, their offspring may be
different niches. times. others from the sterile.
The divergence of If two populations original Ex. A mule is a sterile hybrid of a
multiple lineages into develop population. horse and a donkey.
many new species in differences in it may reproduce These hybrid offspring may not be
a specific area and these behaviors, by vegetative well adapted to the environment
time is called they will not growth, self- of either parent.
adaptive radiation. attract each other fertilize, or with So, if the parents have genetic
for mating. other polyploid differences, their offspring may
mate. not develop successfully.
Extinction: The End of Species
• Extinction occurs when a species fails to produce any more descendants.
Extinction, like speciation, can only be detected after it is complete.
• The species that exist at any time are the net result of both speciation
and extinction.
• More than 99% of all of the species that have ever lived becoming extinct.
• Many cases of extinction are the result of environmental change.
• If a species cannot adapt fast enough to changes, the species may be
driven to extinction.
• Extinction reduces the number of species.
• Species are the result of both speciation and extinction.
• If you think of speciation as branching of a family tree, then extinction is
like loosing one branch from this tree.
• So, speciation is the beginning of a lineage of a species, while extinction is
the end of a lineage of a species.
