Question

a student argues that being separated geographically is the only way for speciation to occur. why is he wrong?

○ speciation does not usually rely on geographic isolation.

○ speciation can occur from biological forces as well.

○ speciation can occur from variation as well.

○ speciation does not result from adaptive radiation.

Explanation:

To determine why the student is wrong, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: Speciation often does rely on geographic isolation (allopatric speciation is common), so this is incorrect.
• Option 2: Speciation can occur via biological forces (e.g., sympatric speciation, where biological factors like reproductive isolation without geographic separation cause speciation). This explains the student's error as geographic separation isn't the only way.
• Option 3: Variation is a part of evolution but not a direct explanation of non - geographic speciation mechanisms, so it's not the best choice.
• Option 4: Adaptive radiation can lead to speciation, so this statement is false.

Answer:

B. Speciation can occur from biological forces as well.