What is meant by "sympatric speciation"?

Sympatric speciation refers to the process by which new species arise from a single ancestral species while they coexist in the same geographic area. This form of speciation occurs without the physical barriers that typically separate populations, such as mountains or rivers. Instead, sympathetic speciation can arise through various mechanisms, such as resource partitioning, sexual selection, or polyploidy in plants.

In this scenario, even though the populations are in the same location, they may begin to exploit different resources, or mate in ways that promote reproductive isolation, thus leading to the formation of distinct species. Understanding this concept highlights the complexity of speciation beyond geographical influences, demonstrating that speciation can occur even in overlapping habitats, driven by factors like behavioral changes or genetic divergence within the shared environment.