ANTHR 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Parapatric Speciation, Sympatric Speciation, Allopatric Speciation
Document Summary
Formation of one or more new species from another over time. A process that takes place when a life form rapidly takes advantage of the many newly available ecological niches. A species, or group of species, will diverge into as many variations as two factors allow. Change in the adaptive potential of a particular trait. Generalized if adapted for many functions (ex. Limb with five flexible digits adapted for grasping, weight support, digging) Specialized if limited to a narrow set of functions (e. g. foot suited for specialized function of upright posture and walking. Long term environmental changes in a consistent direction means allele frequencies should shift in response to those changes. A traditional approach in which presumed ancestors and descendants are traced in time by analysis of homologous characters. Attempts to make rigorous evolutionary interpretations based solely on analysis of certain type of homologous characters (that which yields that the most useful information)
