Question

(a) What is meant by a species? Give two examples of plant species and two of animals.
(b) State the various factors which could lead to the formation of new species.

Answer 1

(a) A species is a population of organisms consisting of similar individuals which can breed together and produce fertile offspring. Wheat and paddy are examples of plant species. Humans and cats are examples of animal species.

(b) The important factors which could lead to the formation of new species are:
(i) The geographical isolation of a population caused by various types of barriers
(ii) Genetic drift caused by drastic changes in the frequencies of particular genes, by chance alone.
(iii) Variations caused in individuals due to natural selection.