“A biological species is a group of organisms that can reproduce with one another in nature and produce fertile offspring. Nature, the infamous science journal, defines a species a little differently in their online learning resource: “A unit of classification of plants and animals, consisting of the largest and most inclusive array of sexual reproducing and cross-fertilizing individuals which share a common gene pool.”
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Hanson, published in 1962 by Philosophical Library and picked up by me for free in 2015 at a give-away by the Cleveland Park Library in Washington, D.C., defines a species as: My copy of Dictionary of Ecology by Herbert C. “Isn’t evolution like a tree, where each species is the end of a branch? Shouldn’t it be simple to tell the difference? How could we disagree over where one species ends and another begins?”Ī Polar Bear, which is definitely not a Brown Bear. “Hold on, hold on, hold on,” you might be thinking. Finally, we have our genetic species concept where species differ by differences in their DNA. We also have our ecological species concept where species differ by geography and which ecosystems they occupy. We have our physiological species concept where species differ by physical traits. Turns out, there are three systems for determining where one species ends and another begins. There’s got to be a standard system for determining where one species ends and another begins. They have different species names - making them different species. The Polar Bear’s scientific name is Ursus maritumus. A Polar Bear is a species of bear, which is a mammal, which is an animal, which is a living thing.Ī different species of bear would be the Brown Bear (AKA the Grizzly Bear). No, I’m serious - let’s come up with a definition.Īlright, well, we know specific species, like Polar Bears. But in this series, we explore the basics of conservation science and how they inform Rainforest Trust’s scientists. Rainforest Trust’s work to protect habitats for threatened species is grounded in cutting-edge conservation science.