Biology 1001A Chapter Notes - Chapter chapter 10 : Reproductive Isolation, Meiosis, Zygote
19 Dec 2017
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Cycle 10 guided reading assignment outcomes- species and speciation. Criteria used by the morphological, biological and phylogenetic species concepts to define species. Morphological species concept, the idea that all individuals of a species share measurable traits that distinguishes them from individuals of other species. Weakness and limitations: morphology does not help us distinguish some closely related species that are nearly identical in appearance (like some mice). Finally, morphological species definitions tell us little about the evolutionary processes that produce new species. Biological species concept emphasizes the dynamic nature of species. If two populations do not interbreed in nature, or fail to produce fertile offspring when they do, they belong to different species. Genetic cohesiveness of species: populations of the same species experience gene flow, which mixes their genetic material. The biological species concept defines species in terms of population genetics and evolutionary theory in a static world. The definition alludes to the genetic cohesiveness of species.
