allopatric speciation
Quick Summary
Allopatric speciation is a biological process where new species form due to geographic isolation. This occurs when a physical barrier, such as a mountain range or river, separates a population into two or more groups. Over time, these isolated populations adapt to their unique environments, leading to genetic differences. Eventually, these differences become so significant that individuals from one population can no longer successfully interbreed with individuals from another, a state known as reproductive isolation. This process is considered a dominant form of speciation in sexually reproducing organisms. A classic example is Darwin's finches on the Galapagos Islands.12
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