A period of mass extinction is often followed by ______.
A) explosive diversification
B) nonbranching evolution
C) global cooling
D) equilibrium

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

After a period of mass extinction, the extinction of many species creates new ecological niches for surviving species to exploit, leading to explosive diversification and the evolution of new species to occupy those niches. This is known as adaptive radiation. Therefore, option A is the correct answer. Option B is incorrect because evolution is a branching process, with one species giving rise to two or more new species. Option C is incorrect because global cooling is not a necessary or inevitable consequence of mass extinction. Option D is incorrect because "equilibrium" implies a state of stability or balance, which is unlikely to occur after a major disruption like a mass extinction.

A Period of Mass Extinction Is Often Followed by ______