why are sympatric speciation important?
155177
Ritualistic fighting among males establishes which males are going to be more successful in mating. This is important in sympatric speciation because species with similar males may be competing for the same females. There may be a fitness advantage for one phenotype that could allow one species to invade another.
871994
Because genetic variability is the reservoir which evolution uses to adapt a species to the changes in its environment. When biodiversity drops, “reserves” are lost which could help to combat a climatic catastrophe – a period of drought or excessive rains.
382578
Diversifying (or disruptive) selection: Diversifying selection occurs when extreme values for a trait are favored over the intermediate values. This type of selection often drives speciation. Diversifying selection can also occur when environmental changes favor individuals on either end of the phenotypic spectrum.
565554
Scientists need to describe and name species so that others can learn which characteristics define a species. Then chemists can tell us which are toxic. This information communicated to the public can potentially save lives!
333838
But all three of those mechanisms of speciation involve the creation of one or two species from another species over a long period of time. ... An adaptive radiation is a burst of evolution, creating several new species out of a single parent species.
98271
Population size is considered to be important to the maintenance of genetic variation. Population genetic theory predicts that, as a consequence of genetic drift and/or inbreeding, small populations should show lower levels of genetic variability than large populations (Hartl and Clark, 1997).
896000
Genetic diversity determines the potential fitness of a population and ultimately its long-term persistence, because genes encode phenotypic information. ... Heterozygosity is also deeply connected, in population genetics theory, to population size (which itself clearly has a fundamental importance to conservation).
370687
['produces genetic variation in the offspring.', 'the species can adapt to new environments due to variation, which gives them a survival advantage.', 'a disease is less likely to affect all the individuals in a population.']
25569
Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, has an important role to play. For example, A larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops. Greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all forms of life.
595949
Biological diversity is quite important because its helps maintain the ecological balance in a system. Different animals and plants depend on one another to fulfill all of their needs. For example, we human beings depend on various animals and plants for our clothes, shelter and food.
748416
Predators are critical for healthy ecosystems, ensuring that a greater variety of species survive and thrive by keeping prey populations in check. ... Increasing awareness about the effect of species decline is a critical step in saving biodiversity.
1466241
the main difference between adaptive radiation and other forms of speciation is that adaptive radiation requires a founding population.
250522
A study conducted by the National Science Foundation in 2007 found that genetic diversity (within species diversity) and biodiversity are dependent upon each other — i.e. that diversity within a species is necessary to maintain diversity among species, and vice versa.
619161
When animals or plants become separated geographically they can become subject to different evolutionary pressures due to different environments. Over time, a change can occur in their genetic make-up and how they look. "Some people will judge them to be different enough to be separate species," Dr Thiele says.
137924
['it does not lead to genetic variation in a population.', 'the species may only be suited to one habitat.', 'disease may affect all the individuals in a population.']
1278207
Why is it important to maintain habitat diversity to maintain biodiversity? More varied habitats means more different species are adapted to them and live in them, leading to high species richness and high biodiversity. Hawaii has more endemic species than anywhere on Earth.
750729
Modern biochemistry and knowledge of DNA have shown that mutations are always the result of a loss of information. Evolution or changes in species may result from natural selection working with biodiversity to select well adapted variations to environmental changes.