speciation

/ˌspiː.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌspiː.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌspē-shē-ˈā-shən -sē-/ (ame, mw)

speciation — noun

1. the natural process in which populations of living organisms gradually change in

1.名詞B2
釋義

the natural process in which populations of living organisms gradually change into new, distinct species that can no longer reproduce with each other

例句

Darwin observed that finches on different Galápagos islands underwent speciation after being separated by the ocean.

undergo speciation + geographic separation

Scientists studying African cichlid fish in Lake Victoria have documented some of the fastest speciation rates ever recorded.

speciation rate — how quickly new species form

同義詞
  • evolution

    broader term — all heritable change across generations; speciation is a specific outcome of evolution

  • divergence

    focuses on the splitting apart of two populations, without requiring that they become fully separate species

反義詞
  • extinction

    speciation adds new species to the tree of life; extinction removes them

用法筆記

Speciation is an uncountable noun in formal biology writing and is rarely used in the plural. It describes a long-term evolutionary process, not a single observable event.

常見錯誤

❌The bird's different colours showed speciation within one generation.
✅The bird's different colours showed adaptation within one generation.
💡Speciation always involves the formation of a new species over many generations, not a single change within a population.
❌Many speciations occurred during the Ice Age.
✅Many speciation events occurred during the Ice Age.
💡'Speciation' is uncountable; use 'speciation events' or 'episodes of speciation' to refer to individual instances.