Year 11 - Pre-Diploma Biology

THE MEANING OF SPECIES

The accompanying article from the New Scientist, Hybridisation Rules OK! by Martin Broo es, though no! dated "#pril $%%&', is still (ery (alid) He discusses the problems facing biologists !hen trying to define a species) The argument centres around a definition based upon reproducti(ely isolated organisms, or a definition based upon organisms !hich share common features and beha(iour) Read and then refer to the article to ans!er the *uestions)

The con(entional, present+day understanding of !hat !e mean by species is gi(en in lines ,, - . %) Q.1 /hat is that definition0 # species is a group of indi(iduals !hich can mate !ith one another to produce fertile offspring) #s a definition it is *uic ly destroyed by the reference to Blue Whales and Fin Whales "lines %+$,') Q.2 Ho! do these t!o species contest the con(entional definition0 The blue !hale can breed, in the !ild, !ith a fin !hale to produce fertile offspring, !hich can themsel(es breed !ith either of the t!o parental species) 1n the 2rd paragraph "lines $-+2,', the t!o concepts of !hat a species is, are compared) Q.3 "i' /hat !as the species concept prior to the $%234s0 Biologists (ie!ed species simply as different inds of li(ing things and their main problem !as to decide ho! to define different) "ii' #lthough not named in the te5t, !ho do you thin !as the greatest ad(ocate of this concept0 Q.4 /hat !as6is the species concept introduced by 7ob8hans y and Mayr in the $%234s0 They sa! them as more formally no!n as the biological species concept, re*uired to place all li(ing things into unmista able, distinct reproducti(e units) Q.5 7ar!in !as not particularly concerned by the concept of a species) /hy not0 "9ines :%+2-' He did not see species as ob;ects, but artificial collections of indi(iduals made for con(enience)<or him humans !here the ne! identity of e(olution not species) Q.6 =i(en the probable se(eral million of mostly tiny organisms not yet described on this planet, !hat problems face a natural historian !ho thin s s6he has found, and !ants to name a ne! species0 "9ines >2+&2' 1f someone finds a ne! species, they cannot describe it as a ne! species until they ha(e sho!n !hat it can mate !ith) =i(en that there are many other types of species to try) Q.7 /hat do you understand by the term sub-species 0 "9ine ,3' 1t4s a biological classification, no!n as ta5onomic ran ? they cannot be seen in isolation) Q.8 Organisms may differ or be similar in their morphology, anatomy and 7@# "line ,A', and their B))0 They are good ta5onomic species? they also form distinct breeding groups) The (ariation in bea s of the $2 "sub0' species of 7ar!in4s finches on =alCpagos are cited as a good e5ample of natural selection !or ing to ma e groups of birds distinct one from another, rather than reproducti(e isolation "lines -2+%-') Q.9 D5plain the argument being used) Reproducti(e compatibility is seen as the glue holding a species together) The 7ar!in4s finches is a group of seed eating finches, there are many types of different species, they all ha(e a distinct bea !hich is adapted to feed themsel(es on one type of seed) They often interbreed in the !ild to produce healthy hybrids) 1t is natural selection rather than reproducti(e isolation that eeps a species distinct) Q.10 "i' /hy do hybridising species challenge the con(entional BEF0 "9ines %%+$$2' Hybrids challenge the notion of species as consistent, reproducti(e units, therefore they are ignored) "ii' #nd !hy is the GE Dndangered Epecies #ct "$%,2' a problem for ta5onomists0 "9ines $$%+$:3' 1t is a problem because they specifically e5clude hybrids from legal protection? they are not seen as part of natural order) Red !ol(es and coyotes are no!n to ha(e hybridised "lines $:&+$:%')

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Fan you name another t!o species !ho can successfully hybridise0 The t!o species that can successfully hybridise are a lion and a tiger and a horse !ith a 8ebra)

7ar!inian e(olution theory focuses (ery much upon species and clusters of related indi(iduals "lines $>&+$>,') Q.11 /hat therefore is the e(ol(ing unit in 7ar!inian e(olution theory0 The ne! tools of molecular biology can help us decide ho! to distinguish li(ing things and gi(e us a greater appreciation of the di(ersity of life) Q.12 Eelection forces act upon the small cluster of related indi(iduals but specifically, and in genetic terms, !hat is it that is being selected for or against0 Q.13 =i(en this discussion, !hat !ould no! be your Hbest4 definition of a species0 My best definition for species !ould be li(ing things or organisms that reproduce and create producti(e offspring) Q.14 /hat is the fundamental e(ent in the 7@# of an organism that ultimately can enable e(olution of a ne! organism !ith different characteristics to appear0 Q.15 <or one organism, gi(e a full classification "from Kingdom to species', saying at each point of classification, !hat characteristics enable the grouping of the organism) 9ion They are one of the four big cats in the genus Ianthera and a member of the family <elidae? it is the second biggest cat after the tiger) Ecientific nameJ Ianthera 9eo 9ife spanJ $3+$A "adult in !ild' MassJ $):+ :)$ g "ne! born' Ran J species Eymbol ofJ Dngland KingdomJ #nimalia FlassJ Mammalia OrderJ Farni(ora

Kohn Osborne <ebruary :3$A