Answer:
Ernst Mayr's Biological Species Concept and George Gaylord Simpson's Evolutionary Species Concept are two commonly discussed concepts in the field of biology for defining a "species". While both concepts share similarities in their definition, they also have key differences that set them apart from each other.
Mayr's Biological Species Concept is based on population interbreeding and reproductive isolation. It defines a species as a group of interbreeding populations that are reproductively isolated from other groups. According to Mayr, a species is a distinct entity whose members have the potential to interbreed and produce viable offspring.
Simpson's Evolutionary Species Concept, on the other hand, is based on evolutionary history and lineage. It defines a species as a single lineage of ancestor-descendant populations that maintain their identity as separate evolving entities over time, and have their own evolutionary tendencies and historical fates. According to Simpson, a species is not just a group of interbreeding populations, but a lineage of populations that can be traced back to a common ancestor.
One of the key differences between the two concepts is that while Mayr's concept emphasizes on reproductive isolation and interbreeding, Simpson's concept emphasizes on the importance of historical continuity of a group of organisms. Additionally, while Mayr's Biological Species Concept is very useful for the purposes of describing living populations, the Evolutionary Species Concept proposed by Simpson has been used to describe both living and extinct populations of organisms.
Overall, the Biological Species Concept is focused primarily on the biological aspects of species formation, including reproductive isolation and interbreeding, while the Evolutionary Species Concept emphasizes the importance of historical continuity of lineages and the unique evolutionary traits that define a species. Both concepts have contributed immensely to our understanding of species definition and have been instrumental in taxonomy and evolution research.
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