What is speciation?

Speciation is defined as the evolutionary process through which a population evolves to become genetically distinct from its parent species. This typically occurs when groups of organisms become isolated from each other, leading to the accumulation of genetic differences over time. Isolation can happen through various mechanisms, such as geographic barriers (like mountains or rivers), ecological factors, or behavioral changes.

As populations adapt to different environments or develop unique mating behaviors, they diverge genetically. Eventually, these accumulated changes may become significant enough that members of the new population can no longer interbreed with the original population, leading to the formation of a new species. This process is crucial for understanding biodiversity and the evolutionary relationships among organisms.

The other choices do not accurately represent speciation. For instance, the first option mentions organisms becoming genetically similar, which contradicts the essence of speciation since it involves divergence rather than convergence. The third choice refers to reproductive isolation, which is a mechanism that can lead to speciation but does not encompass the entirety of the process itself. Lastly, while creating new habitats may influence the environment in which speciation could occur, it does not define what speciation is.