The “biological species concept” defines species as a group of organisms that are:

Question

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The question asks: The “biological species concept” defines species as a group of organisms that are:

Option present: 'Only capable of breeding successfully with one another.'

Without additional distractor choices, we can assess the single provided statement directly in light of the biological species concept (BSC).

- Correcting and interpreting the statement: The BSC, originally proposed by Ernst Mayr, defines a species as a group of interbreeding natural populations that are reproductively isolated from other such groups. In practical terms, this often boils down to the idea that members of the same species can mate and produce fertile offspring with each other, and cannot (or are unlikely to produce viable, fertile offspring) with individuals outside their group. The essence of the provided option aligns with this core idea about reproductive compatibility within a species.

- What this implies about the concept: The emphasis is on reproductive continuity and isolation from other groups. The ability to mate and produce offspring within the group is central to the concept; reproductive barriers to other groups help define distinct species.

- Why this statement is not about other nuances: The BSC does not rely on morphology alone (which would be a different concept, like the morphological species concept), nor does it require that all members of a species must mate in practice (natural populations may be separated by geography or timing, but still belong to the same species if they could interbreed under natural conditions). It also does not say anything about asexual organisms, which the BSC generally does not apply to.

- Absence of alternative options: Since no other answer choices are provided to compare or contrast, we cannot critique alternative misconceptions like 'species defined by genetic similarity alone' or 'defined by ecological niche' within this item. In a typical multiple-choice setting, those would serve as distractors to test understanding of reproductive isolation as the defining criterion.

- Summary takeaway: The statement captures the central idea of the biological species concept—that a species consists of individuals capable of interbreeding and producing viable, fertile offspring, effectively behaving as a reproductively cohesive unit within natural populations.

BIOL 1001 (090-095) Unit 2.2 Learning Quiz

The “biological species concept” defines species as a group of organisms that are:

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