Which of these is NOT an example of Adaptive radiation?
The correct answer is: (A) Long-necked Giraffe.
Adaptive radiation is a process where organisms evolve rapidly into a wide range of forms to adapt to different ecological niches. The examples of adaptive radiation usually involve a single ancestral species diversifying into different species that occupy various ecological roles.
While the long-necked giraffe's evolutionary trait is an adaptation to access food from taller trees, it is not an example of adaptive radiation. Instead, it reflects a gradual evolutionary change within a species. On the other hand, organisms like Darwin’s finches, Cichlid fish, and Hawaiian honeycreepers are well-known cases of adaptive radiation where one species diversifies into multiple species with specialized traits suited to different environments.
In contrast, the long-necked giraffe’s evolution is more of a specialization within a single lineage rather than a rapid diversification of species, which is the essence of adaptive radiation.
Assertion (A): The stirrer facilitates the even mixing of oxygen availability in a bioreactor.
Reason (R): Stirred-tank bioreactors generally have a flat base.}