Ring species pose a species classification problem for which of the following species concepts?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks about which species concept struggles to classify ring species. Let's examine each option in turn.
Option a: Phylogenetic species concept. This approach defines a species as the smallest diagnosable monophyletic group. Ring species can often be traced along a lineage, revealing distinct clades, but the key issue for ring species is how reproductive compatibility maps onto species boundaries, not merely shared ancestry or diagnosability. Thus, while the phylogenetic concept can describe the pattern, it does not primarily encapsulate the core problem ring species pose.
Option b: Ecological species concept. This concept defines species by a unique ecological niche and adaptive differences that prevent competition. Ring species are typically found along geographical gradients where interbreeding can occur between neighboring populations, so the ecological niche approach may accommodate the gradient with continuous adaptation. The central diagnostic problem of ring species is not about niche separation, but about interbreeding across the continuum, so this concept does not directly capture the main issue.
Option c: Morphological species concept. This concept relies on differences in form and structure to delimit species. Ring species could be classified based on morphology along the gradient, but the morphological approach can fail when neighboring populations look similar yet are reproductively isolated with a ring connecting ends. The challenge here is not primarily morphological similarity, but the reproductive connectivity across the ring, which this concept does not address directly.
Option d: Biological species concept. This concept defines a species as a group of interbreeding natural populations that are reproductively isolated from other such groups. Ring species directly test this criterion: while adjacent populations may interbreed, the terminal ends of the ring may not interbreed despite being part of the same continuous lineage. This creates a paradox for strict application of the BSC, highlighting a key classification problem under this concept.
Across the options, the central issue with ring species is the reproductive compatibility question embedded in the Biological Species Concept, where continuity of interbreeding around a geographic ring can conflict with reproductive isolation at the endpoints. The alternative concepts each emphasize different criteria (anatomy, ecology, or nested ancestry) that do not center the same reproductive connectivity problem presented by ring species.

Ring species pose a species classification problem for which of the following species concepts?

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