Adaptive radiation can be considered a macroevolutionary process. Which of the following provides the MOST direct evidence for adaptive radiation in the fossil record?
A gradual, linear progression of changes in a single lineage over a long period.
The discovery of transitional fossils showing intermediate forms between ancestral and descendant species.
A sudden appearance of many related species in a relatively short geological timeframe, often correlated with a new environment or resource.
The presence of homologous structures in distantly related organisms.
Related Questions
Darwin's finches on the Galapagos Islands exhibit diverse beak morphologies adapted to different food sources. Which of the following BEST describes the genetic mechanism underlying this diversification, assuming the ancestral finch population had limited beak variation?
Horizontal gene transfer from other bird species introduced new beak morphologies.
Hybridization between different finch species generated novel beak shapes.
Mutations in regulatory genes controlling beak development led to variations upon which natural selection acted.
Environmental factors directly induced heritable changes in beak structure.
How might an evolutionary biologist explains why a species of birds has evolved a larger beak size?
Large beak size occurred as a result of mutation in each member of the population
The ancestors of this bird species encountered a tree with larger than the average sized seeds. They needed to develop larger beaks in order to eat the larger seeds and over time, they adapted to meet this need
Some members of the ancestral population had larger beaks than others. If larger beak size was advantageous, they would be more likely to survive and reproduce. As such, large beaked birds increased in frequency relative to small beaked birds
There is no way to explain such phenomenon in evolutionary terms
Adaptive radiation is often observed in situations where:
The environment remains stable for long periods
Strong competition exists within a well-established ecosystem
A new ecological opportunity arises, such as colonization of a new island
Species are highly specialized to a particular niche
An evolutionary process, giving rise to new species adapting to new habitat and ways of life is called
Adaptive radiation
Adaptation
Convergent evolution
Microevolution
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of adaptive radiation?
Common ancestry of the diversifying species
Phenotype-environment correlation
Trait utility
Slow and gradual evolutionary change over long periods
When two species of different genealogy come to resemble each other as a result of adaptation, the phenomenon is termed as
Divergent evolution
Micro-evolution
Co- evolution
Convergent evolution
When more than one adaptive radiation occurred in an isolated geographical area
Convergent evolution
Divergent evolution
Chemical evolution
All of the above
When more than one adaptive radiation occurred in an isolated geographical area
Convergent evolution
Divergent evolution
Chemical evolution
All of the above
The wings of a butterfly and the wings of a bird are:
Homologous
Vestigial
Analogous
Rudimentary
Island biogeography theory predicts that larger islands tend to have higher biodiversity. How does this relate to adaptive radiation?
Larger islands have lower extinction rates, preserving the products of adaptive radiation.
Larger islands attract more migrating species, providing a starting point for adaptive radiation.
Larger islands offer more diverse habitats and resources, increasing the likelihood of adaptive radiation.
Larger islands have higher mutation rates, promoting the genetic variation necessary for adaptive radiation.
