Please help with this plant ecology assignment and you will receive full points
ID: 52377 • Letter: P
Question
Please help with this plant ecology assignment and you will receive full points and a positive comment! Thank you!
The attached article uses molecular techniques to describe new “cryptic” species from two SE Asian frogs long thought to be two species, based on morphology. All of those species were identified by morphology (mostly flower and fruit structure). Parallel studies have not been attempted for tropical trees.
1.) If cryptic speciation commonly occurred in trees, how would it affect understanding of biodiversity?
2.) Can you think of reasons why cryptic speciation might be more or less common in trees?
Please include examples from this article link:http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/2/3/470
Explanation / Answer
1) Cryptic speciation refers to a group of species (which can not interbreed) where individuals are morphologically similar to each other but belong to different species. If cryptic speciation commonly occured in trees it would affect biodiversity as many species would be overlooked or counted erroneously as a group of trees may belong to different species despite being morphologically identical.
2) Cryptic speciation is caused mainly by sympatric speciation. Thus, trees which arose in the same nieche by sympatric speciation would most probably be identical morphologically but distinct species.e.g The field maple Acer campestre comprises two cryptic species, one from North-East Turkey and South-West Georgia.
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