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Speciation Rates

Speciation Rates

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.

Types of Selection

Types of Selection

Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...

Genetics of Speciation

Genetics of Speciation

Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.

The Evidence for Evolution

The Evidence for Evolution

Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.

Limits to Natural Selection

Limits to Natural Selection

Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 28, 2025

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks

Published on: May 13, 2016

Multidimensional divergent selection, local adaptation, and speciation.

Nathan J White¹, Roger K Butlin^1,2

¹Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, United Kingdom.

Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution

|July 15, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Multidimensional divergent selection, acting on many traits, is thought to drive local adaptation and speciation more than unidimensional selection. However, current evidence is weak, with potential confounding factors. Further research is needed to clarify its role in evolutionary divergence.

Keywords:

Adaptive landscape dimensionality divergent selection gene flow incompatibilities multidimensional selection speciation

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Last Updated: Oct 28, 2025

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks

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Published on: May 13, 2016

Dissection and Flat-mounting of the Threespine Stickleback Branchial Skeleton

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Published on: May 7, 2016

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

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Published on: February 3, 2023

Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Ecological speciation
Population genetics

Background:

Divergent selection on traits drives local adaptation and ecological speciation.
Multidimensional divergent selection (acting on multiple traits) is often assumed to promote speciation more effectively than unidimensional selection.
The concepts of dimensionality in selection, environment, phenotypes, and genomes require careful disentanglement.

Purpose of the Study:

To critically evaluate the common view that multidimensional divergent selection enhances local adaptation and speciation.
To clarify the distinct concepts of selection strength, number of loci, and dimensionality.
To distinguish between divergence dimensionality and dimensionality of stabilizing selection.

Main Methods:

Theoretical review of evolutionary concepts.
Examination of experimental evidence.
Analysis of natural case studies.

Main Results:

The evidence supporting the view that multidimensional selection strongly promotes speciation is currently weak.
Existing studies often confound the effects of selection strength and the number of loci with dimensionality.
Dimensionality of divergent selection is distinct from dimensionality of stabilizing selection.

Conclusions:

The purported enhanced effect of multidimensional divergent selection on speciation requires more robust empirical support.
Mechanisms linking multidimensional selection to evolutionary divergence need further investigation.
Multidimensional divergent selection may act as both a driver and a barrier to speciation.