Question

Male frogs give calls that attract female frogs to approach and mate. Researchers examined mating calls of closely related but separate species of tree frogs in South America. What outcomes could possibly occur where the ranges of two species overlap?

1) The species will interbreed, eventually fusing over time.
2) A stable hybrid zone will form if hybrids are better adapted to the area of overlap than either parent species is.
3) Species will continue to diverge and be isolated by behavioral or genetic mechanisms.
4) I, II, and III

Answer 1

When the ranges of two species of tree frogs overlap, three possible outcomes can occur: species fusion, stable hybrid zone formation, or species divergence and isolation.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the ranges of two species of tree frogs overlap, several outcomes are possible:

1. The species will interbreed, eventually fusing over time. If the reproductive barriers weaken and the hybrids are as fit or more fit than the parent species, fusion can occur, resulting in the two species becoming one.
2. A stable hybrid zone will form if hybrids are better adapted to the area of overlap than either parent species is. In this case, the hybrids may have higher fitness in the overlapping area, allowing them to persist and continue reproducing with both parent species.
3. Species will continue to diverge and be isolated by behavioral or genetic mechanisms. If the hybrids are less fit than the parents and reproductive barriers remain strong, the two species will continue to diverge and eventually be isolated from each other.