Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall 16-3 The Process of Speciation Photo credit: ©MURRAY, PATTI/Animals Animals Enterprises Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall Natural selection and chance events can change the relative frequencies of alleles in a population and lead to speciation. Speciation is the formation of new species. A species is a group of organisms that breed with one another and produce fertile offspring. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Evolution creates (and destroys) new species, but … Macroevolution 4/17/2017 Evolution creates (and destroys) new species, but … What is a species? Its not as straightforward a question as most believe. These are members of different species - eastern (left) and western (right) meadowlark. G. Podgorski, Biol. 1010

There is only one existing human species. Macroevolution What is a Species? 4/17/2017 There is only one existing human species. G. Podgorski, Biol. 1010

Macroevolution 4/17/2017 What is a Species? A species is a group of individuals capable of interbreeding to produce fertile offspring. G. Podgorski, Biol. 1010

Northern spotted owl (left) and barred owl (right). Macroevolution Determining What Is and What Isn’t a Distinct Species Can Have Economic Consequences 4/17/2017 Northern spotted owl (left) and barred owl (right). G. Podgorski, Biol. 1010

About 2 million species have been described. Macroevolution 4/17/2017 How Many Species Are There? We don’t know. About 2 million species have been described. Estimates of existing species number range from 4 million to 100 million (with 10-15 million being a more commonly considered upper estimate). G. Podgorski, Biol. 1010

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall Isolating Mechanisms What factors are involved in the formation of new species? The gene pools of two populations must become separated for them to become new species. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall Isolating Mechanisms Isolating Mechanisms As new species evolve, populations become reproductively isolated from each other. When the members of two populations cannot interbreed and produce fertile offspring, reproductive isolation has occurred. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall Isolating Mechanisms Reproductive isolation can develop in a variety of ways, including: behavioral isolation geographic isolation temporal isolation Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall Isolating Mechanisms Behavioral Isolation  Behavioral isolation occurs when two populations are capable of interbreeding but have differences in courtship rituals or other reproductive strategies that involve behavior. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Macroevolution 4/17/2017 Courtship rituals, like these, are critical for mating within a species, but ineffective for attracting members of other species. G. Podgorski, Biol. 1010

Jumping Spiders Woods and Fields of New England Differ in Appearance and Mating Dance Behavioral Isolation

Macroevolution 4/17/2017 G. Podgorski, Biol. 1010

Macroevolution 4/17/2017 G. Podgorski, Biol. 1010

Horse (2N=64) X Donkey (2N=62) = Mule

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall Geographic isolation occurs when two populations are separated by geographic barriers such as rivers or mountains. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Macroevolution 4/17/2017 Harris’ antelope squirrel White-tailed antelope squirrel Two species of ground squirrel are postulated to have descended from a common ancestral population that was separated by formation of the Grand Canyon. G. Podgorski, Biol. 1010

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall Isolating Mechanisms Geographic barriers do not guarantee the formation of new species. If two formerly separated populations can still interbreed, they remain a single species. Potential geographic barriers may separate certain types of organisms but not others. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Temporal isolation occurs when two or more species reproduce at different times. Mating at different times of year

Testing Natural Selection in Nature Studies showing natural selection in action involve descendants of the finches that Darwin observed in the Galápagos Islands. The finches Darwin saw were different, but he hypothesized that they had descended from a common ancestor. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Testing Natural Selection in Nature Detailed genetic studies have shown that these finches evolved from a species with a more-or-less general-purpose beak.  Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Testing Natural Selection in Nature Detailed genetic studies have shown that these finches evolved from a species with a more-or-less general-purpose beak.  Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Testing Natural Selection in Nature Peter and Rosemary Grant tested Darwin’s hypothesis, which relied on two testable assumptions: For beak size and shape to evolve, there must be enough heritable variation in those traits to provide raw material for natural selection. Differences in beak size and shape must produce differences in fitness, causing natural selection to occur. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Testing Natural Selection in Nature The Grants tested these hypotheses on the medium ground finch on Daphne Major, one of the Galápagos Islands. During the rainy season, there is plenty of food. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Testing Natural Selection in Nature During droughts, food becomes scarce. Individual birds with different-sized beaks had different chances of survival during a drought. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Testing Natural Selection in Nature When food was scarce, individuals with large beaks were more likely to survive. This graph shows the survival rate of one species of ground-feeding finches, the medium ground finch.  Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Testing Natural Selection in Nature The Grants provided evidence of the process of evolution. Beak size can be changed by natural selection. Conclusion: Natural selection can occur often and rapidly. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Speciation in Darwin’s Finches Describe the process of speciation in the Galápagos finches. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Speciation in Darwin's Finches Speciation in the Galápagos finches occurred by: founding of a new population geographic isolation changes in new population's gene pool reproductive isolation ecological competition Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Speciation in Darwin's Finches Founders Arrive  A few finches—species A—travel from South America to one of the Galápagos Islands. There, they survive and reproduce. Speciation in the Galápagos finches occurred by founding of new populations, geographic isolation, gene pool changes, reproductive isolation, and ecological competition. Small groups of finches moved from one island to another, became reproductively isolated, and evolved into new species. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Speciation in Darwin's Finches Geographic Isolation Some birds from species A cross to a second island. The two populations no longer share a gene pool. Speciation in the Galápagos finches occurred by founding of new populations, geographic isolation, gene pool changes, reproductive isolation, and ecological competition. Small groups of finches moved from one island to another, became reproductively isolated, and evolved into new species. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Speciation in Darwin's Finches Changes in the Gene Pool Seed sizes on the second island favor birds with large beaks. The population on the second island evolves into population B, with larger beaks. Speciation in the Galápagos finches occurred by founding of new populations, geographic isolation, gene pool changes, reproductive isolation, and ecological competition. Small groups of finches moved from one island to another, became reproductively isolated, and evolved into new species. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Speciation in Darwin's Finches Reproductive Isolation If population B birds cross back to the first island, they will not mate with birds from population A. Populations A and B are separate species. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Speciation in Darwin's Finches Ecological Competition As species A and B compete for available seeds on the first island, they continue to evolve in a way that increases the differences between them. A new species—C—may evolve. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Speciation in Darwin's Finches Continued Evolution This process of isolation, genetic change, and reproductive isolation probably repeated itself often across the entire Galápagos island chain. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Studying Evolution Since Darwin Scientific evidence supports the theory that living species descended with modification from common ancestors that lived in the ancient past. Scientists predict that as new fossils are found, they will continue to expand our understanding of how species evolved. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall 16-3 Are you ready for Quiz Time? Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall 16-3 The most important factor involved in the evolution of the Harris’ antelope and white-tailed antelope squirrels of the American Southwest appears to be temporal isolation. geographic isolation. behavioral isolation. different food sources. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall 16-3 When two species do not reproduce because of differences in mating rituals, the situation is referred to as temporal isolation. geographic isolation. behavioral isolation. reproductive isolation. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall 16-3 All of the following played a role in speciation of Galápagos finches EXCEPT no changes in the gene pool. separation of populations. reproductive isolation. natural selection. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall 16-3 Beak size in the various groups of Galápagos finches changed primarily in response to climate. mating preference. food source. availability of water. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall 16-3 One finding of the Grants' research on generations of Galápagos finches was that natural selection did not occur in the finches natural selection can take place often and very rapidly. beak size had no effect on survival rate of the finches. natural selection was slow and permanent. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall 16-3 The most important factor involved in the evolution of the Kaibab and Abert squirrels of the American Southwest appears to be temporal isolation. geographic isolation. behavioral isolation. different food sources. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall 16-3 When two species do not reproduce because of differences in mating rituals, the situation is referred to as temporal isolation. geographic isolation. behavioral isolation. reproductive isolation. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall 16-3 All of the following played a role in speciation of Galápagos finches EXCEPT no changes in the gene pool. separation of populations. reproductive isolation. natural selection. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall 16-3 Beak size in the various groups of Galápagos finches changed primarily in response to climate. mating preference. food source. availability of water. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall 16-3 One finding of the Grants' research on generations of Galápagos finches was that natural selection did not occur in the finches natural selection can take place often and very rapidly. beak size had no effect on survival rate of the finches. natural selection was slow and permanent. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

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