At A Glance. Speciation, the formation of a new species, is a part of larger-scale patterns of evolution.; The biological species concept defines a species as one that, in nature, can breed and produce healthy, fertile offspring.; Reproductive barriers block gene flow between populations, allowing gene pools to diverge through the mechanisms of evolution. ...
Mar 05, 2019 · Sympatric speciation is the formation of a new species in the absence of a geographic barrier that would prevent gene flow. The most common mechanism of sympatric speciation is polyploidy , a condition in which an organism has more than the normal number of copies of a set of chromosomes .
The tempo (or speed) of speciation varies; it can be slow and gradual, or fast and abrupt followed by periods of stability. Since the mid-1800s evolutionary biologists have speculated on the pace at which speciation typically occurs. Most of the evidence regarding past speciation events is present in the fossil record, which is all the ...
Feb 12, 2013 · View Notes - Species and Speciation from BIO 370 at University of Texas. BIO 370 Evolution Species and Speciation It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness. Lucius Annaeus. Study Resources. ... Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by …
Prezygotic reproductive barriers prevent a zygote from forming, and postzygotic reproductive barriers prevent a hybrid zygote from developing into a healthy, fertile adult.
Allopatric speciation occurs in the presence of a geographic barrier, such as a river or an area devastated by fire to prevent gene flow, and sympatric speciation occurs in the absence of a geographic barrier.
Polyploidy is instant sympatric speciation because the offspring have a different number of chromosomes than their parents.