HELP! Biological Species Concept vs. Recognition Species Co.

[jake23]

Hi, I am slightly confused so hopefully you guys can enlighten me!

I've been reading about speciation and my professor wants us to explain the difference between the biological species concept (BSC) and the recognition species concept (RSC). I know BSC defines species as potentially interbreeding natural populations which are reproductively isolated (isolating mechanism) while RSC uses sexual signaling to define species.

Are there any other differences?!


PS. Another question.. but in some ways, arent they sorta the same, since the RSC is kind of like the pre-zygotic isolation mechanism (behavioral isolation)?

SO CONFUSED!!

[Darby]

There are so many nuances to each biologist's interpretation of these terms - I think that's why you haven't gotten a response. We don't know exactly how your professor is defining things; it's a bit different than I would do it.

But you are right - the second is definitely a subset of the first.