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Ch. 26 - Population and Evolutionary Genetics
All textbooksKlug 12th EditionCh. 26 - Population and Evolutionary GeneticsProblem 23
Chapter 25, Problem 23

What genetic changes take place during speciation?

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1
Identify the initial population and understand that speciation begins with a single species.
Recognize that genetic changes during speciation often start with reproductive isolation, which can be geographical, ecological, temporal, or behavioral.
Understand that once isolated, genetic drift, mutation, and natural selection can lead to genetic divergence between the separated populations.
Acknowledge that over time, these genetic changes accumulate, leading to the development of distinct species with unique genetic identities.
Consider that eventually, the genetic differences become significant enough that even if the populations come back into contact, they can no longer interbreed successfully, completing the speciation process.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Speciation

Speciation is the evolutionary process by which populations evolve to become distinct species. It typically occurs when genetic differences accumulate between populations due to factors such as geographic isolation, natural selection, or genetic drift, leading to reproductive barriers. Understanding speciation is crucial for studying biodiversity and the mechanisms of evolution.
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Genetic Drift

Genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution that refers to random changes in allele frequencies within a population. It is particularly significant in small populations, where chance events can lead to the loss or fixation of alleles, contributing to genetic divergence. This randomness can play a critical role in the speciation process by altering genetic variation over time.
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Natural Selection

Natural selection is a fundamental mechanism of evolution where individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce. This process leads to the adaptation of species to their environments and can drive speciation by favoring traits that enhance reproductive isolation. Understanding natural selection helps explain how genetic changes contribute to the emergence of new species.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

A farmer plants transgenic Bt corn that is genetically modified to produce its own insecticide. Of the corn borer larvae feeding on these Bt crop plants, only 10 percent survive unless they have at least one copy of the dominant resistance allele B that confers resistance to the Bt insecticide. When the farmer first plants Bt corn, the frequency of the B resistance allele in the corn borer population is 0.02. What will be the frequency of the resistance allele after one generation of corn borers have fed on Bt corn?

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Textbook Question

In an isolated population of 50 desert bighorn sheep, a mutant recessive allele c when homozygous causes curled coats in both males and females. The normal dominant allele C produces straight coats. A biologist studying these sheep counts four with curled coats. She also takes blood samples from the population for DNA analysis, which reveals that 17 of the sheep are heterozygous carriers of the c allele. What is the inbreeding coefficient F for this population?

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Textbook Question

To increase genetic diversity in the bighorn sheep population described in Problem 23, ten sheep are introduced from a population where the c allele is absent. Assuming that random mating occurs between the original and the introduced sheep, and that the c allele is selectively neutral, what will be the frequency of c in the next generation?

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Textbook Question

Some critics have warned that the use of gene therapy to correct genetic disorders will affect the course of human evolution. Evaluate this criticism in light of what you know about population genetics and evolution, distinguishing between somatic gene therapy and germ-line gene therapy.

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Textbook Question

List the barriers that prevent interbreeding, and give an example of each.

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Textbook Question

What are the two groups of reproductive isolating mechanisms? Which of these is regarded as more efficient, and why?

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