GENERAL BIOLOGY 2

PATTERNS OF DESCENT WITH

MODIFICATION FROM COMMON
ANCESTORS TO PRODUCE THE
ORGANISMAL DIVERSITY
OBSERVED TODAY
Group 2
REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATING MECHANISM

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.
PRE-ZYGOTIC ISOLATION MECHANISMS

Prevent fertilization and zygote formation.

Happens before fertilization and occurs
between gametes.
GEOGRAPHIC OR ECOLOGICAL OR
HABITAT ISOLATION

Occurs when two species that

could interbreed do not because
the species live in different areas.
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.
BEHAVIORAL
ISOLATION
Patterns of courtship is
different. For example,
eastern & meadowlark songs
differ.
MECHANICAL
ISOLATION
Differences in reproductive
organs prevent successful
interbreeding. Mechanical
isolation occurs when mating is
physically impossible.
GAMETIC
ISOLATION Incompatibilities between egg and sperm
prevent fertilization. Often, this occurs
because the female immune system
recognizes sperm as foreign and attacks it.
POST-ZYGOTIC ISOLATION
MECHANISMS

Allow fertilization but nonviable

or weak or sterile hybrids are
formed in these cases. However,
even after a hybrid zygote forms,
reproduction may still not be
successful.
HYBRID INVIABILITY

Fertilized egg fails

to develop past the
early embryonic
stages.
HYBRID STERILITY

Their hybrids are

sterile because
gonads develop
abnormally or there
is abnormal
segregation of
chromosomes
during meiosis.
HYBRID F1 hybrids are normal, vigorous and viable, but
F2 contains many weak or sterile individuals.
BREAKDOWN
SPECIATION

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
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.
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.
 PARAPATRIC
SPECIATION
Occurs when the groups that
evolved to be separate
species are geographic
neighbors.
 PERIPATRIC
SPECIATION
Occurs when a new species
is formed from a
subpopulation that
colonizes a new habitat
within the same
geographical area as its
ancestors.