Nature creates diversity in plants and animals through a process known as hybridization. Hybridization occurs when similar species interbreed, producing offspring that inherit traits from both parents, known as hybrids. This process can lead to the emergence of new species through speciation.
Researchers are still studying the environmental factors that promote hybrid speciation and its impact on species’ adaptability to changing environments. Factors like population density, seasonal response, and habitat altitude play a role in hybridization.
A recent study by researchers at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden in China focused on fig trees in Thailand and China to understand the conditions favoring hybridization. They found that climatic margins, where parental species struggle to survive, are hotspots for hybridization.
Using DNA microsatellites, the researchers tracked hybridization patterns between closely related fig tree species. They discovered that hybrids were more common at climatic boundaries and away from the equator. Factors like population density and species characteristics influenced gene exchange in hybridization.
The study highlighted that fig trees hybridize more successfully in habitats where parental species struggle to survive. While this study provides insights into hybridization hotspots, further research is needed to investigate hybridization patterns in different organisms and environments.
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Source: sciworthy.com
