Biological species concept, Biology

Assignment Help:

Q. Biological species concept?

A biological species as defined by Ernst Mayr are "groups of actually or potentially interbreeding natural populations which are reproductively isolated from other such groups". For example there are some species called sibling species that are reproductively isolated although they have extremely minute genetic differences. This definition assumes that a species cannot interbreed with other species due to a variety of isolating mechanisms that are behavioural, physiological, genetic, etc. Thus, according to the biological species concept, individuals within a species have a gene pool available for recombination through sexual reproduction within the group, and is not inhibited by pre - or post -mating reproductive isolation. The main criticism of this definition is that it applies only to organism (i.e. life forms) that have sexual reproduction, and ignores the fact that some times gene flow occurs between closely related, sympatric species (species whose geographical ranges overlap).

For example, significant gene exchange has happened between bison and bus (domestic cattle). Such occurrences violate the basic notion of the biological species concept. Nevertheless, this definition of a species continues to be widely used even today.


Related Discussions:- Biological species concept

Why dairy or milk product are important for human body, Why Dairy or milk p...

Why Dairy or milk product are important for human body? This first food of mammals is rich in body-building proteins and bone-forming calcium, besides being the only source of

How different are the concepts of neoplasia-tumor and cancer, Q. How differ...

Q. How different are the concepts of neoplasia, tumor and cancer? Not all tumor is neoplastic and not every neoplasia creates tumor. The Tumor is the generic name given to the

Define biosystematics - animal taxonomy, Define Biosystematics - Animal Tax...

Define Biosystematics - Animal Taxonomy Biosystematics is basically synonymous with systematic, though it places more emphasis upon genetic (concerning inheritance) and cytolog

What is visual accommodation, What is visual accommodation? Visual acco...

What is visual accommodation? Visual accommodation is the phenomenon of varying the curvature of the crystalline lens to make possible the variation of its refractivity to adju

Explain the sodium-glucose co-transporter, Which of the following is true f...

Which of the following is true for the sodium-glucose co-transporter? A. The net flux of sodium ions is from a region of high sodium ion concentration to a region of low sodium

Aids, how get a aids

how get a aids

What are heterotrophic beings, What are autotrophic beings? What are hetero...

What are autotrophic beings? What are heterotrophic beings? Autotrophic beings are those that can make their own food, i.e., that make organic material from inorganic compound

What do biomass pyramids represent, What do biomass pyramids represent? ...

What do biomass pyramids represent? Biomass pyramids show the sum of the masses of the individuals that participate in each trophic level of a food chain.

Define influence of polyphenols on proteins, Define Influence of Polyphenol...

Define Influence of Polyphenols on Proteins? You know that tannins are considered as anti-nutritional because their presence is usually accompanied by a reduced protein digesti

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd