Species and Speciation Flashcards

Flashcards based on lecture notes about species and speciation.

What happens to the rate of substitution when new mutant alleles are neutral?

The rate of substitution equals the rate of mutation.

What happens to the rate of substitution if new mutant alleles are not neutral?

The alleles will either be selected for or against.

What determines the evolutionary rate in stable environments?

Balancing selection is most common.

What is the effect of population size on nearly neutral alleles?

Nearly neutral alleles evolve by drift in small populations.

What is the difference between definition and criterion when discussing species?

Definition refers to the concept of what a species is, while criterion refers to the measurable standards used to identify them.

Why did the changes within the domestic lineage not make dogs a different species?

Something is keeping them separate; features are tools, but they don’t define/determine what a species is.

What are the characteristics of Classes?

Exist in our heads (artificial), have sharp boundaries, are timeless and spaceless, and cannot undergo natural processes.

What are the characteristics of Individuals?

Exist without our heads (natural), have fuzzy boundaries, exist in time and space, and can undergo natural processes.

What are the three terms to know regarding speciation?

Sympatric, allopatric, and parapatric.

What is the Biological Species Concept?

Groups of actually or potentially interbreeding populations, which are reproductively isolated from other such groups.

What are the limitations of the Biological Species Concept?

Asexual species, hybridization, parapatric speciation

What do scientists rely on instead of the Biological Species Concept?

Morphology and/or genetic differences.