Glossary Speciation

adaptive radiation Macroevolutionary pattern; burst of genetic divergences from a

lineage that give rise to many species, each using a novel resource or
a new (or newly vacated) habitat.
adaptive zone Any way of life available for organisms that are physically,
ecologically, and evolutionarily equipped to live it.
allopatric [Gk. allos, different, + L. patria, native land]. Speciation model. A
speciation physical barrier arises, separates populations or subpopulations of a
species, ends gene flow, and favors divergences that end in
speciation.
anagenesis Speciation pattern; changes in allele frequencies and morphology
accumulate within an unbranched line of descent.
archipelago Island chain some distance away from a continent.
biological species Defines a species as one or more populations of individuals that are
concept interbreeding under natural conditions, producing fertile offspring, and
are isolated reproductively from other such populations. Applies to
sexually reproducing species only.
cladogenesis [Gk. clad-, branch] Speciation pattern in which a lineage splits and
isolated populations undergo genetic divergence.
dosage Any mechanism that balances gene expression between the sexes
compensation during critical early stages of development.
evolutionary tree Treelike diagram; a branch point means divergence from a shared
ancestor and branches signify separate lines of descent.
extinction Irrevocable loss of a species.
gene flow Microevolutionary process; alleles enter and leave a population as an
outcome of immigration and emigration, respectively.
genetic Gradual accumulation of differences in gene pools of populations or
divergence subpopulations of a species after a geographic barrier arises and
separates them; thereafter, microevolution occurs independently in
each.
gradual model, Idea that species arise by many small morphological changes that
speciation accumulate over great spans of time.
hybrid zone Where adjoining populations are interbreeding and producing hybrid
offspring.
key innovation A structural or functional modification to the body that by chance,
gives a lineage opportunity to exploit aspects of the environment in
more efficient or novel ways.
mass extinction Catastrophic event or phase in geologic time when entire families or
other major groups are irrevocably lost.
parapatric Idea that neighboring populations can become distinct species while
speciation maintaining contact along a common border.
polyploidy Having three or more of each type of chromosome in the nucleus of
cells at interphase (3n, 4n, etc.).

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punctuation Idea that most morphological changes occur in a brief span when
model, speciation populations start to diverge; speciation is rapid, and the daughter
species change little for the next 2-6 million years or so.
reproductive
Heritable feature of body form, functioning, or behavior that prevents
isolating
interbreeding between two or more genetically divergent populations.
mechanism
speciation The formation of a daughter species from a population or
subpopulation of a parent species by way of microevolutionary
processes. Routes vary in their details and duration.
species [L. species, a kind] One kind of organism. Of sexually reproducing
organisms, one or more natural populations in which individuals are
interbreeding and are reproductively isolated from other such groups.
sympatric [Gk. sym, together, + patria, native land] A speciation event within the
speciation home range of an existing species, in the absence of a physical
barrier. Such species may form instantaneously, as by polyploidy

Websites of Interest:
Crossbills (Department of Ornithology American Museum of Natural History)

http://research.amnh.org/ornithology/crossbills/

New Species of Salamanders (University of California at Berkeley)

http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2001/06/28_sldna.html