Question

(a) "The process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area starts from a point and literally radiates to other geographical areas." Explain it with an example.
(b) Cite an example where more than one adaptive radiation has occurred in an isolated geographical area. Name the type of evolution your example depicts.

Hint:

Adaptive radiation leads to diversification from a common ancestor. Australia’s marsupials are a textbook example.

Answer 1

• [(a)] The given statement explains adaptive radiation, where organisms diversify rapidly into new forms to adapt to different ecological niches.
  • Example: Darwin’s finches on the Galápagos Islands. From a single ancestral species, many species evolved with different types of beaks suited to different kinds of food.
• [(b)] An example is the marsupials in Australia, where many species evolved from a common ancestor in isolated geographical areas.
  • This depicts convergent evolution, where organisms evolve similar adaptations independently.