Which form of isolation occurs when species breed at different times?

Temporal isolation occurs when different species breed at different times of the day, season, or year, preventing them from interbreeding even if they live in the same habitat. This form of isolation is key in maintaining species boundaries, as it ensures that the reproductive periods do not overlap. For instance, one species may mate in the spring while another species mates in the fall, leading to a reproductive barrier that prevents hybridization.

Other forms of isolation, such as mechanical isolation, involve differences in the anatomical structures that prevent mating, while behavioral isolation refers to differences in mating behaviors or rituals. Gametic isolation deals with the incompatibility of sperm and egg between different species. These options represent other mechanisms of reproductive isolation, but they do not specifically describe the timing of breeding, which is the defining characteristic of temporal isolation.