Ch. 30.

2 Speciation

Ch. 30.2 Speciation

AL Paper 2 questions
Q.1 [1996 Paper 2 Q.3(b)]
(b) (i) What is a species? (2 marks)
(ii) Name and describe the various isolation mechanisms which may
lead to the formation of a new species. (7 marks)

(b) (i) A species is a collection of individuals which interbreed (sexually)

to produce fertile offspring (2) 2
(ii) Types of isolation mechanism
Geographical isolation (1), whereby a species that originally lived
or colonised an area somehow becomes spatially separated over
time (1) so that different sub-populations developed different habits
and no longer continued to interbreed (1), thereby, evolving as
different species. 3
Reproductive isolation (1), despite being in the same area, the
different sub-populations may be prevented from breeding with
each other through (1): 2
(1) Seasonal barrier, i.e. their breeding cycles / seasons are out
of phase so that there is no opportunity to interbreed. 1
(2) Behavioural barriers, i.e. the individuals fail to recognize
mates (1) at courtship / ritual behaviour resulting in
non-receptiveness to mating. 1
 Ch. 30.2 Speciation

HKDSE
2015
#10. Fossil records suggest that camels in Africa and Asia and llamas in South
America evolved from a common ancestor 6 million years ago. The diagram
below shows the possible migration routes of the common ancestor at the time
before the continents were separated and the locations (shaded areas) where the
camels and llamas are found at present:

(b) Explain how the common ancestor might have given rise to the two different
animal species (camels and llamas) in the above case. (4 marks)
(#extract only, the rest of the question can be found in 30_Evolution I)

Answer
10. (b) ‧ separation of the continents resulted in isolation of the two groups of
ancestors (1) [Not accept migration, geological isolation or
geometrical isolation]
‧ each isolated group was subjected to a different set of environmental
conditions (1)
‧ as a result, they evolved differently from each other due to natural
selection (1) /
adaptive traits specific to those particular environmental conditions
were selected by natural selection
‧ until their genetic compositions were so different that they could not
interbreed again (1)
 Ch. 30.2 Speciation

Markers’ Report
10.
(b) Poorly answered. Many candidates simply reiterated information about
separation of continents and migration of camels but failed to identify the
situation as an isolation of animal groups which stopped the gene flow between
the groups. When they explained how different traits resulted, they simply
referred to a change in the environment rather than the fact that each animal
group was facing a different set of environmental factors due to their locations in
different geographical regions. Some candidates did not attempt to use genetic
materials to talk about inheritance. They simply stated that the traits were passed
on to the next generation. Finally, when they described the speciation, they gave
superficial answers such as 4they failed to reproduce, rather than using specific
terms such as 'interbreed'. Some candidates just wrote down textbook-type
materials about natural selection and evolution or answers from past
examinations to address this question, which were irrelevant.