Biology 1

Carmela Espaola
Room 107, IB Main Building M 10-12AM TTh 10-12AM & 3-5PM

What is a species?
Why do we need to know what a species is?

Why do we need to know what a species is?

Utility
Delimit groups of organisms along natural fault lines, so that
approximately the same groupings can be recovered by independent observers

Why do we need to know what a species is?

Species are important in biodiversity issues
Conservation, ecology, legislation concerns focus on this level Something quantifiable

Basic rank of classification Order and retrieve information on individual specimens

in collections or data banks

Biology
The study of life.

Species concepts What is a species?

It is actually controversial

1. 2. 3. 4.

Biological species concept Morphological species concept Evolutionary species concept Ecological species concept

What is a species?
Different definitions of the species concept 1. Biological species concept
A species is a population or group of
populations whose members have the potential to interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Reproductive barriers between species

Reproductive barriers prevent gene flow

between 2 different species

Reproductive barriers between species

Prezygotic barriers
1. Geographical isolationdifferent areas with physical 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
barrier Ecological isolationsame area but different habitats Temporal isolationdifferent mating times Behavioral isolationno sexual attraction Mechanical isolationincompatible mating organs Gametic isolationincompatible gametes

Reproductive barriers between species

Reproductive barriers between species

Postzygotic barriers 1. Hybrid inviabilityhybrids do not survive 2. Hybrid sterilityhybrids do not produce
functional gametes

3. Hybrid breakdownoffspring of hybrids are

weak or infertile

What is a species?
Different definitions of the species concept 1. Biological species concept
Difficult to apply on organisms which are not
known to undergo sexual reproduction or where sexual barriers cannot be determined

What is a species?
Different definitions of the species concept 2. Morphological species concept
Used gaps in morphology to delimit species Criterion can be extended to ecology, behaviour
or genetics

Morphological Diagnosis Limitation

phenotypic plasticity
and genetic variability

Morphological Diagnosis Limitation

morphologically
cryptic taxa overlooked
Okatopa 2006

e.g. Eastern Reef Egret

e.g. Hermit Thrush

The barcode blog 2007

Morphological Diagnosis Limitation

morphological
keys are life stage and/or gender selective

Morphological Diagnosis Limitation

demands high level of expertise

e.g. Blue Rockthrush

Photo by Ding Carpio

What is a species?
Different definitions of the species concept 3. Evolutionary species concept
A species is a cluster of organisms
that represent a genealogy or a lineage of descent. unknown individuals through DNA sequences

DNA Barcoding
Methodology
DNA extraction PCR amplification DNA sequencing

DNA barcodingidentifies

DNA Barcoding
Applications
Discovery of new species Biodiversity assessment Phylogenetic studies of closely
related taxa

Regulation of export/import of
endangered species

What is a species?
Different definitions of the species concept 4. Ecological species concept
Proponents: van Valen, Mayr, George Evelyn
Hutchinson

Occupancy of an ecological niche = the entirety of

environmental factors that tend to suit and allow an animal or plant species to survive in its habitat; the way of life of a species. It is where you are and what you are doing that matters.

Darwins Finches

Objections to the species concept

Species are not individual real objects but instead are
manmade constructs.

They exist, but we dont know how to measure or define

them.

It is more useful to identify species using morphological

characters and genetic gaps rather than to try to infer the underlying process of how they came about.

Objections to the species concept

If organisms are a continuum of genes, then assigning
points become arbitrary.

Species as evolutionary units

Species exist and are real in local communities, but only
within local communities

Species becomes a unit of measure 1 meter ~ 1 yard ~ 1 dipa But the diversity of life does not run on just one
straight line

If it does not exchange genes with a distant population,

it is fallacious to treat them as the same species.

Challenge for taxonomists

Taxonomists are in the front line of species
identification

Points to ponder
Ecological and biodiversity studies tend to ignore
difficulties in classifying species and assume that species are objectively real basal units
Convention on Biological Diversity International Union for the Conservation of Nature

If you were a taxonomist, how would you classify species?

Endangered species

Whether an organism is species A or species B does not

change its biological characteristics

Points to ponder
Classification is man-made
Differences in opinion is to be expected

Points to ponder
Hence, it is important to study the similarities and differences of organisms so that they can be used to better understand the changes that occurred among organisms through time.

Classification is arbitrary
Changes are to be expected as taxonomists are able to gather
new information aout organisms

Classification is not the basic biological concept,

DIVERSITY OF LIFE is.

If we dont know what species we have, how can we know what were losing and take practical steps to the loss of the worlds plants and animals?

Sources

Slides were taken and modified from:

Bio11 slides Bio12 slides Dr. Catherine Lagunzad Dr. Ma. Dolores Tongco Dr. Ian Fontanilla

Dr. Richard Lane

Director of Science Natural History Museum, London

Main references:
Mallet, J. 2007. Species, Concept of. Encyclopedia of Biodiversity Zimmer, C. 2008. What is a species? Scientific American

Next meeting
Mechanisms and evidences of evolution.