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Inheritance and Evolution
Quick questions on Speciation and evolution: H2 Biology Inheritance and Evolution
6short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is reproductive isolation?Show answer
Speciation requires reproductive isolation: something that stops gene flow between two groups so they can diverge. Isolating mechanisms include geographical barriers, different breeding seasons or behaviours, and incompatibilities that prevent fertile offspring.
What is allopatric speciation?Show answer
In allopatric speciation a population is divided by a geographical barrier (a mountain range, river or sea). Gene flow stops; the two groups face different environments, accumulate different mutations, and are shaped by different selection pressures. Over many generations they diverge so far that they can no longer interbreed even if reunited: they are now separate species.
What is sympatric speciation?Show answer
In sympatric speciation new species arise without geographical separation, while the groups still share an area. Reproductive isolation develops by other means, such as differences in breeding time or behaviour, or chromosome changes (for example polyploidy in plants) that prevent successful breeding between the groups.
What is q1?Show answer
State the biological definition of a species. [1 mark]
What is q2?Show answer
Explain why reproductive isolation is necessary for speciation. [2 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
State the key difference between allopatric and sympatric speciation. [1 mark]
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