16.3 - Speciation

• Speciation - the formation of new species

  • A species is a group of organisms that breed with one another and produce fertile offspring
  • The gene pools of two populations must become separated for them to become new species
  • When the members of two populations cannot interbreed and produce fertile offspring -> reproductive isolation
• • There are three types of reproductive isolation: geographic, behavioral, and temporal
• Geographic Isolation

  • Population is separated by geographic barriers like rivers, mountains, roads, deforestation, etc.
  • no more mixing of the gene pool but only mating within the smaller group
• Behavioral Isolation

  • Two populations are in the same place and can breed but have differences in mating rituals, thus choosing not to mate with each other
  • Ex: different mating calls and dances
• Temporal isolation

  • Two or more species reproduce at different times -> not mating regardless of living in the same habitat
  • Ex: frogs and toads or different frog species