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 conventional, present- day understanding of what we mean by species is given in lines 7, 8 & 9. Q.1 What is that definition ! species is a group of individuals which can mate with one another to produce fertile offspring. !s a definition it is "uic#ly destroyed by the reference to Blue Whales and Fin Whales $lines 9-%7&. Q.2 'ow do these two species contest the conventional definition (oth (lue and )in whales can breed with one another in order to produce an offspring. *n the + rd paragraph $lines %8- +7&, the two concepts of what a species is, are compared. Q.3 $i& What was the species concept prior to the %9+,-s (iologists defined species as different but the main issue was the fact that they did not #now how to define the word .different / !lthough not named in the te0t, who do you thin# was the greatest advocate of this concept Q.4 What was1is the species concept introduced by 2ob3hans#y and 4ayr in the %9+,-s The concept introduced is the fact that species were distinct in their breeding groups. Q.5 2arwin was not particularly concerned by the concept of a species. Why not $5ines 69- +8& 'e did not see these individuals as species instead he saw them as artificial collections and as members of his theory of evolution. Q.6 7iven the probable several million of mostly tiny organisms not yet described on this planet, what problems face a natural historian who thin#s s1he has found, and wants to name a new species $5ines 8+- 9+& *t is very hard as the historian needs to find out the animal in which the species mates with and for this to happen millions of species need to be tested. Q.7 What do you understand by the term sub- species $5ine 7,& They are the same species but what ma#es them different is the fact that they have different characteristics from one another. Q.8 :rganisms may differ or be similar .in their morphology, anatomy and 2;!/ $line 7<&, and their =.. They are ta0onomic and they can be put into breeding groups which is very useful when it comes to classification. The variation in bea#s of the %+ $sub & species of 2arwin-s finches on 7al>pagos are cited as a good e0ample of natural selection wor#ing to ma#e groups of birds distinct one from another, rather than reproductive isolation $lines 8+- 98&. Q.9 ?0plain the argument being used. $ii&

;atural selection is pointed out, meaning that species can remain distinct even when they have passed through interbreeding. 2arwin mentions the fact that finches interbreed in order to create a healthy offspring. Q.10 $i& Why do hybridising species challenge the conventional (@A $5ines 99- %%+& These hybridising species ma#e up around %,B of animal species and 6,B of the plant species, clearly showing a big importance on the environment. $ii& !nd why is the C@ ?ndangered @pecies !ct $%97+& a problem for ta0onomists $5ines %%9- %6,& They do not support these species with legal protection as these species are being e0cluded by them. Ded wolves and coyotes are #nown to have hybridised $lines %69- %69&. $iii& Aan you name another two species who can successfully hybridise 'orses, 2ogs and possibly don#eys. 2arwinian evolution theory focuses very much upon .species and clusters of related individuals/ $lines %89- %87&. Q.11 What therefore is the evolving unit in 2arwinian evolution theory The evolution of species along time and their surroundings. Q.12 @election forces act upon the .small cluster of related individuals/ but specifically, and in genetic terms, what is it that is being selected for or against )or this, dominant and superior species are selected. Q.13 7iven this discussion, what would now be your Ebest- definition of a species !fter all these sets of #nowledge * would define species as the group of individuals that interbreed between one another in order to create an offspring, can be defined by their breeding groups and they are similar in dna, anatomy and morphology. Q.14 What is the fundamental event in the 2;! of an organism that ultimately can enable evolution of a new organism with different characteristics to appear ?volution enables when two organisms bond between themselves, this leads into the creation of new bonds with new characteristics that will then create a new and healthy offspring. Q.15 )or one organism, give a full classification $from Fingdom to species&, saying at each point of classification, what characteristics enable the grouping of the organism. The organism chosen is the chameleon. Kingdom : !nimalia Ph lum : Ahordata !lass : Deptilia "#de# : @"uamata Famil : Ahamaeleonidae $%ien&i'i% (ame : Ahamaeleonidae ) *e : Deptile +ie& : :mnivore $i,e -./ : 6.8cm - 98.8cm $%.%in - 67in& Weigh& : ,.,%#g - 6#g $,.,6lbs - <.<lbs& )o* $*eed : +8#m1h $6%mph&

.i'e $*an : < - 8 years .i'es& le : @olitary !onse#0a &ion $&a&us : Threatened !olou# : 7reen, (rown, (lac#, Gellow, Ded, Tan $1in ) *e : @cales Fa0ou#i& e Food: *nsects 2a3i&a & : Tropical forests and desert 40e#a ge !lu&%h $i,e : 6, 5ain P#e : *nsects, @nails, 5eaves P#eda &o#s : @na#es, (irds, 4ammals +is&in%&i0e Fea&u# es : ?0ceptional vision and ability to change s#in colour

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+ohn Osborne ,ebruary -.$/