Speciation
The evolutionary process by which new species arise, typically through geographic isolation or ecological divergence that prevents interbreeding between populations.
Used in the Books
This term appears in 4 chapters:
"...feet. Adaptive radiation shows natural selection in fast-forward. Instead of taking millions of years, it happens in tens of thousands. We can watch speciation happen. But natural selection itself operates everywhere, all the time, on every organism. Including your organization. The Four Requirements ..."
"...tic differentiation that made rescue possible) - Recipient population has suitable habitat to expand after genetic health improves Gene Flow and Speciation: When Isolation Permits Divergence Gene flow opposes speciation. For two populations to diverge into separate species, they must accumulate genetic ..."
"...ales prefer males with coloration matching their own population, creating assortative mating (mating with similar individuals). This allows sympatric speciation (the evolution of new species without geographic separation, Chapter 3): even if populations overlap spatially and ecologically, they don't interbree..."
"...xtinction (rapid loss of large fractions of biodiversity due to catastrophic events). Background extinction** is the norm: species arise through speciation and disappear through extinction continuously. The average species lifespan is ~1-10 million years (varies by taxonomic group: mammals average ~1 mil..."
Biological Context
Geographic isolation (allopatric speciation) separates populations that evolve independently until they can no longer interbreed. Ecological speciation occurs when populations adapt to different niches even in the same area. Speciation is the process generating biodiversity.