Biology Of Organisms Chapter 24 Vocabulary

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Speciation

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An evolutionary process in which one species splits into two or more species.

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Microevolution

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Evolutionary change below the species level; change in the allele frequencies in a population over generations.

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Macroevolution

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Evolutionary change above the species level. Examples of macroevolutionary change include the origin of a new group of organisms through a series of speciation events and the impact of mass extinctions on the diversity of life and its subsequent recovery.

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Biological species concept

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Definition of a species as a group of populations whose members have the potential to interbreed in nature and produce viable, fertile offspring, but do not produce viable, fertile offspring with members of other such groups.

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Species

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A population or group of populations whose members have the potential to interbreed in nature and produce viable, fertile offspring, but do not produce viable, fertile offspring with members of other such groups.

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Reproductive isolation

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The existence of biological factors (barriers) that impede members of two species from producing viable, fertile offspring.

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Hybrid

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Offspring that results from the mating of individuals from two different species or from two true-breeding varieties of the same species.

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Prezygotic barriers

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A reproductive barrier that impedes mating between species or hinders fertilization if interspecific mating is attempted.

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Postzygotic barriers

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A reproductive barrier that prevents hybrid zygotes
produced by two different species from developing into viable, fertile adults.

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Morphological species concept

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A definition of species in terms of measurable anatomical criteria.

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Ecological species concept

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A definition of species in terms of ecological niche, the sum of how members of the species interact with the nonliving and living parts of their environment.

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Phylogenetic species concept

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A definition of species as the smallest group of individuals that share a common ancestor, forming one branch on the tree of life.

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Allopatric speciation

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The formation of new species in populations that are geographically isolated from one another.

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Sympatric speciation

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The formation of new species in populations that live in the same geographic area.

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Polyploidy

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A chromosomal alteration in which the organism possesses more than two complete chromosome sets. It is the result of an accident of cell division.

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Autopolyploid

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An individual that has more than two chromosome sets that are all derived from a single species.

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Allopolyploid

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A fertile individual that has more than two chromosome sets as a result of two different species interbreeding and combining their chromosomes.

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Hybrid zone

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A geographic region in which members of different species meet and mate, producing at least some offspring of mixed ancestry.

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Reinforcement

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In evolutionary biology, a process in which a process in which natural selection strengthens prezygotic barriers to reproduction, thus reducing the chances of hybrid formation. Such a process is likely to occur only if hybrid offspring are less fit than members of the parent species.

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Punctuated equilibria

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In the fossil record, long periods of apparent stasis, in which a species undergoes little or no morphological change, interrupted by relatively brief periods of sudden change.