(macroevolution) Defining a Species • Taxonomy: branch of biology that names and classifies species and groups into broader categories (DKPCOFGS) • Linnaeus: botanist that introduced the binomial system of naming organisms • Scientific name: Genus species – Ex. Humans: Homo sapiens Definitions of Species • Biological species concept: based on reproductive isolation • Morphological species concept: based on physical traits (morphology) • Ecological species concept: based on ecological niches • Phylogenetic species concept: based on common ancestors Reproductive Barriers • Pre-zygotic Barriers: prevent mating or fertilization between species • Post-zygotic Barriers: operate after hybrids are formed Pre-zygotic Barriers • Temporal: timing • Habitat: live in different places • Behavioral: no sexual attraction • Mechanical: parts don’t fit • Gametic: gametes die or fail to unite Post-zygotic Barriers • Reduced hybrid viability: hybrids fail to develop • Reduced hybrid fertility: hybrids are produced, but are sterile • Hybrid breakdown: hybrids are fertile, but their offspring (the next generation) are weak or infertile Mechanisms of Speciation • Allopatric speciation: populations are separated by a geographical barrier; is the most common mechanism of speciation • Sympatric speciation: no geographic isolation; mating and gene flow is reduced by factors such as polyploidy, habitat selection, and sexual selection Allopatric Speciation Sympatric Speciation Hybrid Zones • Regions where members of different species meet and mate, producing some hybrid offspring • Ex. Baltimore orioles and Bullock’s orioles • Results? – Fusion: speciation process reverses due to gene flow – Stability: each species maintains its own integrity, but hybrids are still produced Male Baltimore oriole (left); Female Bullock’s oriole (right) When do most new species arise? • After mass extinctions, previously occupied niches are opened. • New species can now fill new habitats or roles in their community. • The evolution of many diverse species from a common ancestor is called adaptive radiation. Ex. The radiation of mammals after the extinction of the dinosaurs Adaptive Radiation How fast can speciation occur? • Punctuated equilibrium: long periods of little change (equilibrium), punctuated by abrupt episodes of speciation • Gradualism: differences gradually evolve in populations as they become adapted to their local environments • The fossil record tends to support the punctuated model more than gradualism • How long does speciation take? A survey of 84 groups of plants and animals show a time range of 4,000 to 40 million years with an average of around 6.5 million years and rarely less than 500,000 years.
(Interdisciplinary Contributions To Archaeology) Jacqueline Rossignol (Auth.), Jacqueline Rossignol, LuAnn Wandsnider (Eds.) - Space, Time, and Archaeological Landscapes-Springer US (1992)