(a) How did Darwin explain adaptive radiation ? Give another example exhibiting adaptive radiation.
(b) Name the scientist who influenced Darwin and how ?
Dear student,
Adaptive radiation is the process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area, starting from a point and radiating to other geographical locations or habitats. Darwin's Finches are the seed-eating songbirds, native to northern hemisphere.
They were used by Darwin to explain adaptive radiation. All the varieties of finches that Darwin observed on the Hawaiian island were evolved on the island itself. Originally there were seed eating varieties from them other forms with altered beak arose in order to make use of other food resources present in the other habitats of Hawaiian island. Thus, this process of evolution of different species in a given area and radiating to other areas (habitats) is adaptive radiation.
Another example of adaptive radiation is diversification of cichlid fishes in East African lakes into more than 600 species. This diversification occurred to take advantage of different foods (including insects, algae, molluscs, small fish, large fish, other fishes scales, and even other fishes eyes, etc).
Regards
Adaptive radiation is the process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area, starting from a point and radiating to other geographical locations or habitats. Darwin's Finches are the seed-eating songbirds, native to northern hemisphere.
They were used by Darwin to explain adaptive radiation. All the varieties of finches that Darwin observed on the Hawaiian island were evolved on the island itself. Originally there were seed eating varieties from them other forms with altered beak arose in order to make use of other food resources present in the other habitats of Hawaiian island. Thus, this process of evolution of different species in a given area and radiating to other areas (habitats) is adaptive radiation.
Another example of adaptive radiation is diversification of cichlid fishes in East African lakes into more than 600 species. This diversification occurred to take advantage of different foods (including insects, algae, molluscs, small fish, large fish, other fishes scales, and even other fishes eyes, etc).
Regards