AP BIOLOGY

EVOLUTION

HISTORICAL CONTEXT FOR EVOLUTIONARY THEORY

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
A population of rabbits becomes separated by a river. Over thousands of years, rabbits on different sides of the river become genetically different and evolve into different species that do not look alike. Which mechanism of evolution has most likely occurred?
A
species isolation
B
geographic isolation
C
reproductive isolation
D
evolutionary isolation
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -The theory of punctuated equilibrium states that evolutionary change is characterised by short periods of rapid evolution followed by longer periods of stasis in which no change occurs.

Detailed explanation-2: -There are four major variants of speciation: allopatric, peripatric, parapatric, and sympatric. Speciation is how a new kind of plant or animal species is created. Speciation occurs when a group within a species separates from other members of its species and develops its own unique characteristics.

Detailed explanation-3: -Speciation involves reproductive isolation of groups within the original population and accumulation of genetic differences between the two groups. In allopatric speciation, groups become reproductively isolated and diverge due to a geographical barrier.

Detailed explanation-4: -Hybrid speciation is a form of speciation where hybridization between two different species leads to a new species, reproductively isolated from the parent species.

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