Which of the following scenarios would most likely lead to adaptive radiation in a species?
A) An isolated patch of rainforest in the country of Belize is cut down. This changes the abiotic conditions that the birds living in this habitat will be facing if they are to survive.
B) A mutation occurred in a population of howler monkeys that increases their fitness.
C) Females start mating more frequently with the males in the group that sing differently than the rest of the group.
D) Adaptive radiation doesn't occur in populations since species are fixed.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Adaptive radiation is a process where a single ancestral species rapidly diversifies into multiple descendant species in response to changes in the environment. Option A describes a scenario where a sudden environmental change occurs, which could lead to novel ecological niches being available for the surviving species. This can trigger the process of adaptive radiation. Option B describes a mutation that could help a population adapt to their existing environment, but it does not necessarily lead to diversification. Option C describes sexual selection, which can lead to divergence in certain characteristics, but not necessarily a full-scale adaptive radiation. Option D is incorrect because adaptive radiation is a well-documented process in evolutionary biology.

Which of the Following Scenarios Would Most Likely Lead to Adaptive