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Difficulty: EasyAdaptive Radiation and Mechanisms of Speciation

Hawaiian honeycreepers exhibit a wide variety of beak shapes and feeding habits, all having evolved from a single ancestral species that colonized the isolated island chain. Which evolutionary process is best illustrated by this rapid diversification into distinct ecological niches?

  1. Adaptive radiationAnswer
  2. B
    Convergent evolution
  3. C
    Inheritance of acquired traits
  4. D
    Protective mimicry

Answer

Adaptive radiation
The correct answer is adaptive radiation because it describes the evolutionary process wherein a single common ancestor gives rise to multiple diverse species, each morphologically adapted to a specific ecological niche.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the key observation in the stem
A single ancestral bird species colonized an isolated island chain and gave rise to multiple species with distinct beak shapes adapted to different ecological niches.
Recognizing the pattern of one lineage diversifying into many forms is the core clue.
2
Match the biological observation to the correct evolutionary concept
The rapid evolutionary diversification of a single ancestral species into multiple specialized species filling different ecological roles is defined as adaptive radiation.
Distinguishing adaptive radiation from other evolutionary mechanisms ensures accurate concept application.

Key Concept

Adaptive Radiation
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Topics

Adaptive Radiation and Mechanisms of Speciation

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