4.2 Variation in a species
Meaning:Variation means small difference in a species.
Example: All humans are the same species, but we are differ in skin type, hair colour, height etc.
Cause: Variation happens because of the genes.
Types:
Inherited variantion
Environmental Variation






🌿 What Are Species?
Scientists group living organisms into different kinds called species.
A species is a group of organisms that share similar characteristics.
All organisms are connected to one another through classification — it helps scientists understand how living things are related.
🧩 Classification
Classification means sorting living things into groups based on how they are alike.
It helps scientists study and understand the great variety of life on Earth.
Deciding how to classify a new organism can sometimes be difficult.
For example, it’s easy to tell that a jellyfish and a tiger are different species — but some cases are not so simple!
👩🔬 Taxonomists
Taxonomists are scientists who study how living things are classified.
They carefully observe animals and plants to decide which species they belong to.
🔬 Biological Species Concept (BSC)
According to the Biological Species Concept,
Organisms belong to the same species if they can mate and produce offspring that can also reproduce.
If they cannot produce offspring together, they belong to different species.
🧬 Reproductive Isolation
Reproductive isolation means two species cannot reproduce with each other.
This keeps species separate and helps new species evolve over time.
🌱 Introgression (Gene Flow)
Sometimes, offspring from two different species can still mate with one of the parent species.
This process is called introgression.
It allows gene flow (sharing of genetic traits) between two species.
🏞️ Habitat
A habitat is the natural home or environment of a species.
Different species live in different habitats — like forests, oceans, deserts, or grasslands.