Science
Speciation.
Definition
Speciation is the evolutionary process by which new species arise when populations become reproductively isolated from each other. Geographic barriers (allopatric speciation) or ecological/behavioral differences within the same area (sympatric speciation) can drive this divergence.
Examples
Real-world.
- 1 Darwin's finches evolving different beak shapes on separate Galápagos islands (allopatric)
- 2 Cichlid fish in African lakes diversifying into hundreds of species (sympatric and allopatric)
- 3 The formation of new plant species through polyploidy (gaining extra chromosome sets)
Studied in