Patterns of Descent Modification

Biological evolution is a powerful and important process. It is a process which, over billions of years,
gradually selects the organisms that are better adapted to their environment to continuously change life
and make all living organisms in our world the way they are today.

Evolution is not a finished event wherein humans are the final product. Rather, it is a continuing process
which has been changing and forming life on Earth for billions of years, and continues to do so for as
long as organisms are born, dying and competing for what they need to survive and reproduce.

Species - Ernst Mayer’s definition: “Species are groups of interbreeding natural populations that are
reproductively isolated from other such groups.”

Reproductive Isolating Mechanism

The mechanisms of reproductive isolation are a collection of evolutionary mechanisms,

behaviors and physiological processes critical for speciation. They prevent members of different species
from producing offspring, or ensure that any offspring are sterile. These barriers maintain the integrity
of a species by reducing gene flow between related species.

1. Pre-zygotic isolation mechanisms

 prevents fertilization and zygote formation
 happens before fertilization occurs between gametes

a. Geographic or ecological or habitat isolation

 occurs when two species that could interbreed do not because the species live in
different areas. The two species live in different habitats and will not encounter one
another: each is isolated from the other species.
b. Temporal or seasonal isolation
 different groups may not be reproductively mature. For example, two populations
of plants may produce flowers in different seasons, making mating between the
populations impossible.
c. Behavioral isolation
 patterns of courtship is different.
d. Mechanical isolation
 differences in reproductive organs prevent successful interbreeding.
e. Gametic isolation
 incompatibilities between egg and sperm prevent fertilization. Often this occurs
because the female immune system recognizes sperm as foreign and attacks it.

2. Post-zygotic isolation mechanisms

allow fertilization but nonviable or weak or sterile hybrids are formed. In these cases, the zygote
formed is called a hybrid.
 a. Hybrid inviability
 fertilized egg fails to develop past the early embryonic stages.
b. Hybrid sterility
 their hybrids are sterile because gonads develop abnormally or there is abnormal
segregation of chromosomes during meiosis.
c. Hybrid breakdown
 F1 hybrids are normal, vigorous and viable, but F2 contains many weak or sterile
individuals

Speciation - is the evolutionary process by which populations evolve to become distinct species. It is the
process by which new species develop from existing species.

Mode of Speciation

A. Allopatric Speciation
Allopatric speciation or geographic speciation occurs when some members of a population
become geographically separated from the other members thereby preventing gene flow.

B. Sympatric Speciation
occurs when members of a population that initially occupy the same habitat within the same
range diverge into two or more different species.

C. Parapatric Speciation
occurs when the groups that evolved to be separate species are geographic neighbors. Gene
flow occurs but with great distances is reduced.