Q3 WEEK 3 LAS-1-Reproductive Isolation
Q3 WEEK 3 LAS-1-Reproductive Isolation
Q3 WEEK 3 LAS-1-Reproductive Isolation
REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION
Sometimes groups of organisms can separate one population into two or more groups. During their time
apart, organisms experienced changes to the point of reproductive isolation. This refers to a set of mechanisms
that prevent animals of the same group from breeding. These are reproductive barriers that do not allow the
species to mate and produce offspring.
Reproductive isolation that occurs before fertilization is known as prezygotic isolation which includes
geographical or ecological, temporal or seasonal, behavioral, mechanical, and gametic. However, when it
occurs after fertilization and prevents the fertilized egg from turning into a fertile offspring, it is known as post-
zygotic isolation which includes hybrid inviability, hybrid sterility, and hybrid breakdown.
A. Pre-zygotic isolation
I. geographic or ecological isolation -potential mates occupy different areas or habitats thus, they
never come in contact
II. temporal or seasonal isolation – different groups may not be reproductively mature at the same
season, or month or year
III. behavioral isolation – patterns of courtship are different
IV. mechanical isolation – differences in reproductive organs prevent successful interbreeding
V. gametic isolation – incompatibilities between egg and sperm prevent fertilization
B. Post-zygotic isolation
I. hybrid inviability – fertilized egg fails to develop the early embryonic stages
II. hybrid sterility – hybrids are sterile because gonads develop abnormally or there is abnormal
segregation of chromosomes during meiosis
III. hybrid breakdown – F1 hybrids are normal, vigorous and viable, but F 2 contains many weak or sterile
individuals
ACTIVITY
Based on the description from the box, identify the isolating mechanism used in each item given. Write your
answer on the space provided. Number 1 is done for you.
1. Two species of plants flower at different months. _Temporal isolation________
2. Mule is the sterile offspring of a horse and a donkey. __________________________
3. Light production in male fireflies is necessary to draw female attention. _________________________
4. Red-legged frogs does not mate with bullfrog because red-legged frog breed in fast moving streams and
bullfrogs breed in ponds. _________________________
5. A specie of snail is unable to mate if the shell is not coiled in the same direction. __________________
6. In flowering plants, the shape of the flower will lead to match up with a natural pollinator.____________
7. A species of monkey that is located on an island cannot breed with another species of monkey on the
mainland. ________________________
8. Some species of fruit flies are active in the morning whereas the other species prefer mating in the
afternoon. ________________________
9. Certain species of crickets will only mate with males that produce a particular mating song.__________
10. Two species live in different habitats and will not encounter one another; each is isolated from the other
species. _______________________