∞ generated and posted on 2016.11.03 ∞
Allopatric speciation-initiating phenomenon.
A geographical barrier can be a mountain range, a large canyon, a body of water, or large expanses of climatic differences (e.g., a desert). Allopatric speciation is a mechanism of speciation that is initiated by the physical separation of one population into two or more physically isolated population. See, for example, peripheral isolates.
Some organisms are less able to span a given geographical barrier than others. Birds, by contrast, can be quite adept at spanning such barriers as too can organisms that are easily carried on the wind or upon (or in) the water.
Other organisms are less adept at crossing commonly forming barriers and, as a consequence, can be more prone to speciating given the imposition of such barriers within populations.
See also geographical isolation. Note that geographical barriers are an example of a prezygotic barrier or prezygotic isolating mechanism.