The History and Formation of Species

The formation of new species, or speciation, occurs when populations become isolated and diverge over time through evolutionary processes such as genetic drift, mutation, and natural selection. The history and formation of species can be studied through the field of phylogeography, which integrates genetics, natural history, and other disciplines to understand the relationships between lineages and geographical distributions. Key mechanisms include geographic isolation, which can be caused by physical barriers like mountain ranges or continental drift, leading to the development of reproductive isolation over time