vicariance
[vahy-kair-ee-uh ns, vi-]
- the geographical separation and isolation of a subpopulation, resulting in the original population's differentiation as a new variety or species.
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Also called vicariance biogeography.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
vicariance
[vī-kâr′ē-əns, vĭ-]
- The separation or division of a group of organisms by a geographic barrier, such as a mountain or a body of water, resulting in differentiation of the original group into new varieties or species. See also speciation.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.