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Speciation & Isolation
AP Biology · Unit 7 Natural Selection
Learning Objectives
Allopatric Speciation: Gene flow is interrupted by a physical geographic barrier.
Sympatric Speciation: Speciation occurs in populations living in the same geographic area (e.g., polyploidy, sexual selection).
Prezygotic Barriers: Block fertilization from occurring (e.g., habitat, temporal, behavioral isolation).
Postzygotic Barriers: Hybrid mortality or sterility (e.g., Mule).
Tags
EvolutionSpeciationGene FlowIsolation
Select an isolating barrier below to see how it restricts gene flow and drives speciation over generations.
Modes of Speciation
Biological Species Concept
A species is a group of populations whose members have the potential to interbreed in nature and produce viable, fertile offspring. Barriers interrupt this gene flow.