Sympatric Speciation

IIT Bombay scientists conducted a study on the conditions and mechanisms leading to Sympatric Speciation.

About Speciation:

• Speciation is the process by which new species arise, traditionally believed to occur due to geographic isolation (Allopatric Speciation).

Key highlights:

• There is possibility of speciation without geographic isolation (Sympatric Speciation).
• Ecological Disruptive Selection:
  • Non-uniform resources in the environment create a “divide” in the population.
  • Example: Birds adapt beak sizes to utilize different food resources (nuts vs. flower nectar).
• Female mating preference based on a relevant trait (e.g., beak size) drives speciation.
• Special traits like feather color do not significantly contribute to sympatric speciation.
• Genetic architecture significantly influences the likelihood of sympatric speciation.
• Even with weak disruptive selection, changes in genetic architecture can lead to new species development.