AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Which best describes punctuated equilibrium? Speciation occurs slowly in geologic time, followed by long periods with very fast evolutionary change.

Detailed explanation-2: -“Punctuated equilibrium is the idea that evolution occurs in spurts instead of following the slow, but steady path that Darwin suggested. Long periods of stasis with little activity in terms of extinctions or emergence of new species are interrupted by intermittent bursts of activity.”

Detailed explanation-3: -Punctuated equilibrium is a theory that states that evolution occurs primarily through short bursts of intense speciation, followed by lengthy periods of stasis or equilibrium. The model postulates that nearly 99% of a species’ time on earth is spent in stasis, and change happens very quickly.

Detailed explanation-4: -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. Despite years of work seeking evidence for punctuational change in the fossil record, the theory remains contentious.

Detailed explanation-5: -The punctuated equilibrium model of speciation predicts that speciation events were rare, and new species remained evolutionarily stable for long periods of time once they formed through a speciation event.