[News] Study catches 2 bird populations as they split into seperate species

[Galapagos]

Study catches 2 bird populations as they split into seperate species

A new study finds that a change in a single gene has sent two closely related bird populations on their way to becoming two distinct species. The study, published in the August issue of the American Naturalist, is one of only a few to investigate the specific genetic changes that drive two populations toward speciation.

 

Speciation, the process by which different populations of the same species split into separate species, is central to evolution. But it's notoriously hard to observe in action. This study, led by biologist J. Albert Uy of Syracuse University, captures two populations of monarch flycatcher birds just as they arrive at that evolutionary crossroads.

[Cedars]

Interesting read. I think its very possible we will see more and more of this as populations of various animals become isolated.