Jose Suter 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 /hat !e mean by species is ha(ing a group of a li(ing organism that can produce fertile offspring by ha(ing a bond to each other #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 1on(entional basically mean that can produce fertile offspring e(en if they2re different species) Blue !hales and 3in !hales can still breed and ma e fertile offspring being different species) 4n the 5rd paragraph "lines $-+5,', the t!o concepts of !hat a species is, are compared) Q.3 "i' /e can all say that an specie is different inds of li(ing things but still !e can2t tell !hat e6actly is different "ii' #lthough not named in the te6t, !ho do you thin !as the greatest ad(ocate of this concept0

Q.4 /hat !as7is the species concept introduced by 8ob9hans y and Mayr in the $%5:2s0 To no! and organi9e the differences of each li(ing organism) Q.5 8ar!in !as not particularly concerned by the concept of a species) /hy not0 He ne! about e(olution !hich made him be concern about defining species) 3or him species are real entities, but it ;ust tells us !hat ind of indi(iduals are each specie) 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 s7he has found, and !ants to name a ne! species0 "=ines >5+&5' There are millions of different species, finding a ne! specie and gi(ing it a name can2t be done if they pro(e they are different from any other species, you can2t ;ust tell is different by its loo but by their breeding or e(olution Q.7 /hat do you understand by the term sub-species 0 "=ine ,:' # sub+ specie can be the differences bet!een s in colours !ithin humans or their type of hair, it2s the same specie but it has differences bet!een their characteristics Q.8 Organisms may differ or be similar in their morphology, anatomy and 8?# "line ,@', and their A))0 Bpecies !hich can be reproduce !ith another one and be compatible, stic together as a specie The (ariation in bea s of the $5 "sub0' species of 8ar!in2s finches on <alCpagos are cited as a good e6ample of natural selection !or ing to ma e groups of birds distinct one from another, rather than reproducti(e isolation "lines -5+%-') Q.9 D6plain the argument being used) He said that species may be different due to their characteristics, this !ay he sa! different species rather than ;ust a reproducti(e isolation Q.10 "i' /hy do hybridising species challenge the con(entional BB10 "=ines %%+$$5' This species become ignored because they are species as cohesi(e, reproducti(e organisms "ii' #nd !hy is the EB Dndangered Bpecies #ct "$%,5' a problem for ta6onomists0 "=ines $$%+$F:'

Jose Suter
there2s not a connection !ith them !ithin the nature so therefore they ignore and a(oid protection !ith legally hybrids Red !ol(es and coyotes are no!n to ha(e hybridised "lines $F&+$F%') "iii' 1an you name another t!o species !ho can successfully hybridise0 Blue !hale and 3in !hales, Humans and Orangutans) 8ar!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 8ar!inian e(olution theory0 #ny specie that has different characteristics should be categorised as a different specie Q.12 Belection 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 Gbest2 definition of a species0 =i(ing organism that can produce fertile offspring e(en though they ha(e different characteristics) Q.14 /hat is the fundamental e(ent in the 8?# of an organism that ultimately can enable e(olution of a ne! organism !ith different characteristics to appear0 Enifying t!o species !ith different characteristic !ill create a ne! 8?# and therefore ne! characteristics to them, !hich causes an e(olution Q.15 3or 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)

# dog KingdomH #nimalia) IhylumH 1hordata) 1lassH Mammalia) OrderH 1arni(ora) 3amilyH 1anidae) <enusH 1anis) BpeciesH 1anis lupus) BubspeciesH 1anis lupus familiaris

John Osborne 3ebruary F:$@