Plant Science (BI 141) Northern Marianas College Spring Semester 2024

Name:

Speciation Worksheet
Watch the two videos below and use your textbook or other sources to answer the

following questions.

Population Genetics – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YqOF-XNa9c

Speciation: An Illustrated Introduction –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yvEDqrc3XE

1. Define sympatric and allopatric speciation. Provide an example of each.

2. Suppose a species of flowering plant dispersed onto both Saipan and Tinian. Fast-

forward a few thousand years, would you expect these two populations to interbreed?

Why or why not?

Repeat the thought experiment with Saipan and Rota. Would you expect these two

populations to interbreed? Why or why not?

Plant Science (BI 141) Northern Marianas College Spring Semester 2023

3. Recall the different patterns of evolutionary change discussed in lecture (and pictured

below). Read the following scenarios and determine whether they are examples of

directional, stabilizing, or disruptive selection.

a) A pioneering ancestor plant (probably a species of Pacific tarweed) colonized the

Hawaiian Islands millions of years ago and encountered little interspecific

competition. These species soon diversified into the “silversword alliance”

composed of dozens of species in the genera Wilkesia, Argyroxiphium, and

Dubautia. These species range from small succulents and cushion plants to

shrubs, trees, and vines. This is an example of ________________________

selection.
Plant Science (BI 141) Northern Marianas College Spring Semester 2023

b) The beach daisy (Arctotheca populifolia), native to South Africa, is considered

invasive in Australia. After about a century the invasive population has been

observed to produce significantly more flowers and seeds, and shorter lifespan,

than the source African population. This change in the Australian population is an

example of ________________________ selection.

c) Imagine a population of trees in a forest. Individuals which grow too short do not

receive adequate light for photosynthesis, yet those that grow too tall will succumb

to wind damage. The individuals with the best chance at surviving and reproducing

are those that grow most similar to their neighbors’ height. This is an example of

________________________ selection.