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Introduction to Speciation exam Flashcards

Introduction to Speciation exam
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  • Speciation
    The process where an ancestral species diverges into two or more species.
  • What is the biological species concept?
    It defines species based on reproductive isolation.
  • Prezygotic isolation
    Mechanisms that prevent the formation of a zygote.
  • What is postzygotic isolation?
    It results in non-viable or sterile hybrids.
  • Allopatric speciation
    Speciation that occurs due to geographic isolation.
  • What is sympatric speciation?
    Speciation that occurs within the same geographic area.
  • Disruptive selection
    A process that can lead to sympatric speciation by favoring extreme traits.
  • Polyploidy
    A condition in which an organism has extra sets of chromosomes, often leading to sympatric speciation.
  • Hybrid zones
    Regions where different species meet and mate, producing hybrids.
  • What can happen in hybrid zones?
    Reinforcement, fusion, or stability among species.
  • Reinforcement
    The process where hybrids are less fit, leading to stronger reproductive barriers.
  • Fusion
    When reproductive barriers weaken, leading to the merging of species.
  • Stability
    When hybrids continue to be produced, maintaining the hybrid zone.
  • Microevolution
    Small changes in allele frequencies over a short period.
  • What is macroevolution?
    Large evolutionary changes that occur over long periods.
  • Phylogenetic tree
    A diagram that represents evolutionary relationships among species.
  • What is a node in a phylogenetic tree?
    A point where a single lineage splits into two distinct species.
  • Darwin's book title
    On the Origin of Species.
  • What is the 'fuzzy art' in defining species?
    The challenge of applying clear rules to determine species boundaries.
  • Reproductive isolation
    A key factor in defining species, preventing different species from interbreeding.
  • What links microevolution and macroevolution?
    Speciation.
  • Charles Darwin
    Author of 'On the Origin of Species' and a key figure in evolutionary biology.
  • What is the significance of evolutionary nodes?
    They represent points where one species diverges into two.
  • Judgment call in speciation
    The subjective decision-making process in determining whether populations are distinct species.
  • What is the main focus of speciation studies?
    Understanding how populations split and evolve into distinct species.
  • Reproductive barriers
    Mechanisms that prevent species from interbreeding.
  • What is the role of hybrid zones in evolution?
    They illustrate the dynamic nature of species boundaries and evolutionary processes.
  • Evolutionary tree
    Another term for a phylogenetic tree, showing relationships among species.
  • What is the outcome of successful speciation?
    The formation of new, distinct species.