A model to unify the theory of speciation

Speciation, the process by which new species originate, occurs due to geographic (physical distance), ecological (different background environments), and historical (divergence time) factors that promote reproductive isolation among lineages. However, we don’t know how these factors interplay; therefore, our empirical and theoretical knowledge about speciation is limited, fragmented, and lacks unification. To fill this knowledge gap, I propose a model and an experiment that treats speciation as a continuum of the interplay between geographic and ecological factors. Empirical evidence has shown that the extremes of this continuum produce high evolutionary rate (faster speciation), while I expect that intermediate values in the interplay continuum would produce reduced evolutionary rates. I expect this seminar can open opportunities for collaboration.