Biology 1001A Lecture Notes - Lecture 54: Species Problem, Sympatric Speciation, Ecological Niche

• School: Western University
• Department: Biology
• Course: Biology 1001A
• Professor: Tom Haffie

Document Summary

Biology lecture 18 outcomes: cooperation and conflict, speciation. Pre-lecture: ways biological, phylogenetic, and ecological species concepts define species, biological species concept. A species is a group of organisms that can successfully interbreed and produce fertile offspring: phylogentic species concept, ecological species concept. A species is a group of organisms bound to unique ancestry. A species is a group of organisms that share a distinct ecological niche. Identify limitations of biological species concept: speaks for sexually reproductive species but does not account for asexual species. Patterns of reproduction blur definition of species: neither androdioecious (exist as natural populations of functional males but no true females) nor gynogenetic (only females) species are covered, distinguish between pre-zygotic and post-zygotic isolating mechanisms, reproductive isolating mechanism. Biological characteristic that prevents the gene pools of two different species from mixing even when sympatric (multiple species occupying the same ecological region: pre-zygotic isolating mechanisms exert its effects before the production of zygote fertilized egg.