Here's a breakdown of the process:
* Natural selection: Organisms with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on those advantageous traits.
* Genetic variation: Within a population, there is variation in traits due to mutations and sexual reproduction.
* Isolation: Populations can become isolated from each other due to geographic barriers, changes in habitat, or other factors.
* Divergence: Over time, the isolated populations accumulate different genetic changes as they adapt to their unique environments.
* Speciation: Eventually, the genetic differences become so significant that the isolated populations can no longer interbreed and are considered separate species.
So, speciation is the process where natural selection acts on isolated populations over a long time, leading to the formation of new species.
