Natural selection is a key part of evolution. It can help create new species, which is called speciation. This process takes a long time and involves different ways that groups of living things change.

How Speciation Happens Through Natural Selection:

1. Different Environments:

   • When groups of animals or plants are separated by things like mountains or rivers, they face different challenges. For example, Darwin's finches changed their beak shapes based on the food available on the Galápagos Islands.

2. Adaptive Radiation:

   • This means that living things can quickly change into different forms. A great example is the cichlid fish in African lakes. Over 500 different types evolved from one common ancestor because they adapted to different environments.

3. Genetic Drift and Isolation:

   • Small groups of living things are more likely to change genetically by chance. This change can lead to new species, especially when combined with natural selection. Research shows that isolated groups can change about 1% in their genetic makeup every 200 generations, which helps them become different from each other.

4. Pressure from Natural Selection:

   • Sometimes, certain traits are favored in a population. For instance, during the Industrial Revolution, darker moths became more common because of pollution. This shows how changes in the environment can alter which traits are seen more often in a group.

Conclusion:

Over time, these processes can create reproductive isolation. This means that two groups can no longer breed with each other, eventually leading to new species. Understanding how natural selection and genetic change work together helps us learn about the variety of life on Earth.