Looking for classes? Ksquare Career Institute, Bengaluru →
Adaptive radiation refers to
A
evolution of different species from a common ancestor
B
migration of members of a species to different geographical areas
C
power of adaptation in an individual to a variety of environments
D
adaptations due to geographical isolation
Detailed Solution
Adaptive radiation is the process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area, starting from a point (a common ancestor) and radiating to other habitats.
The descendants of the common ancestor become adapted to different modes of life and so diverge into different species; it is also known as divergent evolution. The term was given by H.F. Osborn.
Examples are Darwin's finches of the Galapagos Islands and the Australian marsupials.
The placental mammals also show it: they became adapted for aerial (bat), aquatic (whale and dolphin), burrowing (rat), running (horse) and tree-living (monkey) modes of life.
It is not the migration of a species, and it is not the power of one individual to adapt to many environments.
So adaptive radiation refers to the evolution of different species from a common ancestor.
The descendants of the common ancestor become adapted to different modes of life and so diverge into different species; it is also known as divergent evolution. The term was given by H.F. Osborn.
Examples are Darwin's finches of the Galapagos Islands and the Australian marsupials.
The placental mammals also show it: they became adapted for aerial (bat), aquatic (whale and dolphin), burrowing (rat), running (horse) and tree-living (monkey) modes of life.
It is not the migration of a species, and it is not the power of one individual to adapt to many environments.
So adaptive radiation refers to the evolution of different species from a common ancestor.