New species

21/04/23
Key words: isolation, speciation, natural selection

Starter:

Explain Darwin’s theory of natural selection (4 marks)

The big picture: “How can new species
arise due to isolation?”
Learning outcomes
To explain why species may become
isolated.
To analyse how speciation can
occur.
To apply understanding to real life
examples.
 Natural selection can result in the
formation of new species…
• The formation of new species is know as
‘speciation’.
• Speciation can occur in a number of
ways, including species isolation.

Speciation provides
evidence for natural
selection.
 Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q
2vsG77PZ80

Listen out for:

- Why isolation leads to evolution of
a new species
 Reproductive isolation
• Occasionally species that have been
geographically isolated may meet again
e.g. due to land changes/ migration/
human interference etc.
• If once they meet again they cannot
breed to produce fertile offspring then
the species has changed so much during
separation that they are now separate
species! Speciation has occurred.
Task:
• Produce a mind map or reasons
why a species may become
isolated.
• Copy down the diagram of
speciation.
• Write at least a small paragraph
to explain the diagram.

12 minutes
 Check your understanding
- A species becomes isolated e.g. due to volcanic
activity.
- A barrier is formed between the two
populations so they cannot meet to breed.
- There is genetic variation between the species.
- Over time in each population natural selection
will cause the most adapted individuals to
survive (alleles that give an advantage).
- Eventually the differences between the species
will become so great that when they meet again
they cannot successfully reproduce= speciation.
 A tricky question…

Horses and donkeys can breed to produce a mule.

a) Why are mules not considered a separate

species?
b) The chromosome number in a horse is 64 and
in a donkey is 62. How many chromosomes
does the mule have?
c) Using your answer to b suggest why mules
cannot breed to produce fertile offspring.
 Exam questions
Try the exam questions on speciation

Time allowed: 12 minutes

 Self-assessment
(a)    
• fossil is (remains / impression of) organism
that lived a long time ago, if numbers, ≥
1000s years1
• fossils show changes over time or older
fossils simpler or fossils simpler than
present-day species 1
• fossils have similar features to present-day
species, allow fossils allow us to compare old
species with present-day species 1
 Self-assessment
b)  
•   isolation / separation / splitting 1
• by geographical barrier / sea (ignore other examples) 1
• there was variation (in these isolated populations) /
different alleles, accept mutation 1
• different environmental conditions or example e.g. climate /
predators / food 1
• natural selection acted on the isolated populations, accept
became adapted in each area
• OR
• only certain allele(s) passed on to offspring / different
alleles passed on in different environments (allow genes) 1
• so differences lead to inability to interbreed 1
 Self-assessment
c)  

there is a lack of valid / reliable evidence 1

because the early organisms were soft

bodied or because remains were destroyed
by geological action 1