Life on Earth

Chapter 18
The Origin of Species
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Speciation
  • Allopatric speciation occurs in populations that are physically separated.
  • Sympatric speciation occurs in populations that live in the same area.

    Maintaining Reproductive Isolation between Species
  • Premating isolating mechanisms prevent mating between species.
  • Postmating isolating mechanisms prevent production of vigorous, fertile offspring.

    Phyletic and Divergent Speciation

    The Genetics of Speciation
  • One model of speciation stresses gradual accumulation of many small changes.
  • A second model stresses the sudden appearance of a few major changes.
  • Which model is correct?

    Rates of Speciation
  • During adaptive radiation, one species gives rise to many under the differing selection pressures of new habitats.

    The Pattern of Evolution
  • Gradualism explains speciation as the slow, steady accumulation of small changes over time.
  • Punctuated equilibrium explains speciation as occurring relatively rapidly amid long periods of little change.
  • Gradualism and punctuated equilibrium models can both be applied to the evolution of the horse.
  • Many evolutionary biologists accept a synthesis of gradualism and punctuated equilibrium.



  • PH Sower © 1997 by Prentice-Hall, Inc.
    Simon & Schuster/A Viacom Company
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