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Formation of Species

Formation of Species

Speciation describes the formation of one or more new species from one or sometimes multiple original species. The resulting species are discrete from the parent species, and barriers to reproduction will typically exist. There are two primary mechanisms, speciation with and without geographic isolation—allopatric and sympatric speciation, respectively.

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Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Whole-mount Clearing and Staining of Arabidopsis Flower Organs and Siliques

Whole-mount Clearing and Staining of Arabidopsis Flower Organs and Siliques

Published on: April 12, 2018

The evo-devo of plant speciation.

Mario Fernández-Mazuecos¹, Beverley J Glover¹

¹Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK.

Nature Ecology & Evolution

|August 17, 2017

Summary

Evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) offers powerful insights into plant speciation across macro- and microevolutionary scales. Understanding developmental variation is key to uncovering the origins of new species.

Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Developmental Biology
Plant Science

Background:

Speciation research integrates macro- and microevolutionary perspectives.
Evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) traditionally addressed macroevolution but now also investigates microevolution and speciation.
Plant speciation is a complex process influenced by genetic and developmental factors.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the application of evo-devo approaches in understanding plant speciation at multiple evolutionary scales.
To highlight the role of evo-devo in generating key innovations, reproductive barriers, and phenotypic divergence.
To emphasize the importance of integrating developmental biology with evolutionary biology for plant speciation research.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on evo-devo and plant speciation.

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Comparative analysis of developmental mechanisms across different evolutionary scales.

Synthesis of evidence linking developmental changes to speciation events.

Main Results:

Evo-devo mechanisms contribute to key innovations that drive macroevolutionary speciation.
Developmental changes underlie reproductive isolation and phenotypic differences in closely related plant species.
Study of developmental variation within species reveals the generation of evolutionary raw material for speciation.

Conclusions:

Evo-devo approaches are crucial for understanding plant speciation at macro-, micro-, and transitional evolutionary scales.
Further integration of developmental and evolutionary biology is essential for a comprehensive understanding of plant speciation.
Future research should focus on the interplay between developmental plasticity and evolutionary trajectories in plants.