Name: Adaptive Radiation
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 6 min 34 s
Description: Adaptive radiation occurs when a species is confined to an isolated region and adapts to its new habitat, raising multiple diverse species from a single comm...

Question

What are adaptive radiations? Explain with examples.

Accepted Answer

Adaptive radiation is a rapid evolution of species with a single common ancestor. It is characterised by a significant ecological and morphological diversity. Adaptation of organisms to new ecological contexts drives this radiation. This means it occurs when an organism enters a new area, and different traits affect its survival.

One classic example of adaptive radiation is Darwin's finches of the Galapagos island. On various islands, finch species have become adapted for different diets, such as seeds, insects, flowers, the blood of seabirds, and leaves. The ancestral finches were ground-dwelling, seed-eating finch. But after the burst of speciation in the Galapagos, a total of 14 species developed: three species of ground-dwelling seed-eaters; three others living on cacti and eating seeds; one living in trees and eating seeds; and 7 species of tree-dwelling insect-eaters.

Another example of adaptive radiation is the evolution of Hawaiian honeycreepers. These birds used to feed on nectar and have brightly coloured plumage and sing a canary-like song. Then each species evolved special feeding habits and a correspondingly special beak shape to fulfil the demands of different niches found on the specific island within the Hawaiian archipelago.

What are adaptive radiations? Explain with examples.

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