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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 con(entional, present+day understanding of !hat !e mean by species is gi(en in lines ,, - . %) Q.1 /hat is that definition0 # species are a group of animal that can reproduce to gi(e a fertile offspring) #s a definition it is *uic ly destroyed by the reference to Blue Whales and Fin Whales "lines %+$,') Q.2 Ho! do these t!o species contest the con(entional definition0 This is due to the fact that the defenition states that only animals of the same species can produce a fertile offspring) Ho!e(er despite being different species the Blue /hale an 1in /hales can reproduce to gi(e a fertile offspring ,!hcich *uestions the con(entional deffenition of species 2n the 3rd paragraph "lines $-+3,', the t!o concepts of !hat a species is, are compared) Q.3 "i' "ii' #lthough not named in the te4t, !ho do you thin !as the greatest ad(ocate of this concept0 5harles dar!in Q.4 /hat !as6is the species concept introduced by 7ob8hans y and Mayr in the $%39:s0 /hat !as the species concept prior to the $%39:s0 ;pecies !here (ie!ed as as simply different inds of li(ing things, but the problem !as to define different Q.5 7ar!in !as not particularly concerned by the concept of a species) /hy not0 This is because he only used indi(i(duals instead of a broad species to tests his theory of e(olution Q.6 <i(en the probable se(eral million of mostly tiny organisms not yet described on this planet, !hat problems face a natural historian !ho thin s s6he has found, and !ants to name a ne! species0 "=ines >3+&3' He cannot really define if it is really a ne! species as it could be a hybrid bet!een other species ,!hich !ould be highly unli ely to no! !ithout being able to identify e(ery single li(ing organism in that eco+system Q.7 /hat do you understand by the term sub-species 0 "=ine ,9' ?ersonally subspecies include animals that can breed to creat a fertile off+spring ho!e(er ha(e different physical chararcteristics and li(e in other habitats Q.8 Organisms may differ or be similar in their morphology, anatomy and 7@# "line ,A', and their B))0 2f they can be easily grouped due to their reproduction that determines the species "ta4onomy' The (ariation in bea s of the $3 "sub0' species of 7ar!in:s finches on <alCpagos are cited as a good e4ample of natural selection !or ing to ma e groups of birds distinct one from another, rather than reproducti(e isolation "lines -3+%-') Q.9 D4plain the argument being used) This is due to the fact 7ar!in strictly grouped animals into species due to their characteristics instead of reproducti(e isolation) Q.10 "i' /hy do hybridising species challenge the con(entional B;50 "=ines %%+$$3' Hey are ignored as they don:t !ant them to be !ell intergrated reproduction units "ii' #nd !hy is the E; Dndangered ;pecies #ct "$%,3' a problem for ta4onomists0 "=ines $$%+$F9' 7ue to the fact they are not seen as part of nation they are not proteceted Red !ol(es and coyotes are no!n to ha(e hybridised "lines $F&+$F%') "iii' 5an you name another t!o species !ho can successfully hybridise0 Mammals that can hybridise include Orangutans, 1in /hales, Blue !hales and humans 7ar!inian e(olution theory focuses (ery much upon species and clusters of related indi(iduals "lines $>&+$>,') Q.11 /hat therefore is the e(ol(ing unit in 7ar!inian e(olution theory0 That species should be grouped according to characteristics

Q.12 ;election forces act upon the small cluster of related indi(iduals but specifically, and in genetic terms, !hat is it that is being selected for or against0 Q.13 <i(en this discussion, !hat !ould no! be your Gbest: definition of a species0 # group of li(ing organisms ,!hich e(en ha(ing different characteristics can gi(e a fertile offspring bet!een them) Q.14 /hat is the fundamental e(ent in the 7@# of an organism that ultimately can enable e(olution of a ne! organism !ith different characteristics to appear0 This is due to the fact that the offspring !ill inherit characteristics from both the parents therefore causing genetic alteration in other !ords e(olution) Q.15 1or one organism, gi(e a full classification "from Kingdom to species', saying at each point of classification, !hat characteristics enable the grouping of the organism)

Dogs
KingdomH #nimalia) ?hylumH 5hordata) 5lassH Mammalia) OrderH 5arni(ora) 1amilyH 5anidae) <enusH 5anis) ;peciesH 5anis lupus) ;ubspeciesH 5anis lupus familiaris

Iohn Osborne 1ebruary F9$A

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