Adaptive radiation (1 Viewer)

[minijumbuk]

Can anyone please explain to me what adaptive radiation is?

 

[Undermyskin]

Changes in species to adapt to certain environments? I remember something from last year saying about the adaptive radiation of marsupials in Aus continent over the last few million years. It's said that the animals spread out from the centre of the land where it's covered by dessert. These animals gradually changed their characteristics to adapt to different types of environment ranging from bushlands to grassland, etc. Basically, it's the changes to adapt.

Feel free to correct, I answer it randomly...

 

[rooeys2]

yea ur right =)
adaptive radiation is same as divergent evolution
like undermyskin said, the change in the SAME species due to their different ADAPTATIONS to different environments.
Think of the finches on the Galapogos Island, these finches are the same species but they are spread out in different areas, although they have the same behaviour, nests and courting behaviour, they develop different characteristics such as beak shapes for different purposes.

 

[midifile]

Yea adaptive radiation is divergent evolution

Populations of a species living in different environments have different environmental factors acting upon them. As a result, certain characteristics are selected for or against in each different environment, and over time, populations change leading to the evolution of new species.

 

[jesuslovesyou]

adaptive radiation is just another name for divergent evolution which is evolving to be different to put it simply. a species adapts to different environmental pressures ( for example tempurature, avaliablity of water etc) placed upon it to, over time, eventually become a varient species, for example darwins finches