Adaptive Radiation – Class 12 | Chapter – 7 | Biology Short Notes Series PDF

Adaptive Radiation: Adaptive radiation is the evolutionary process by which many species originate from one species in an area and radiate to different species. The phenomenon of adaptive radiation was first observed by Darwin when he travelled to a place called Galapagos Island. There he observed that there were finches with different types of beaks.

So, he concluded that all of these inches radiated on the same island from a single ancestor Finch. All of these finches developed beaks according to the kind of food available to them. Hence, they evolved from the conventional seed-eating finches to vegetarian and insectivorous finches. They later came to be known as Darwin’s finches.

Adaptive Radiation

  • It is referred to the process of evolution of various species in particular geographical regions right from the point and radiating literally to other geographical areas. example – Australian marsupials, Darwin’s finches
  • Entities are better adapted to survive in an otherwise hostile environment as the adaptive ability is inherited, it being a genetic basis whereas fitness is the outcome of the ability to adapt and hence getting selected by nature
  • Two  key concepts of the Darwinian theory of evolution are branching descent and natural selection

Importance of studying Adaptive Radiation

  • It can help us to understand how new species are formed.
  • It can help us to predict and manage current and future biological diversity.
  • It can help to identify the areas where new species are likely to form.
  • It can help us to understand the role of environmental change in evolution.
  • It can provide us with insights into the process of speciation.
  • It can help us to understand the history of life on earth.
  • It can help us to understand the mechanisms of evolution.

JOIN OUR TELEGRAM CHANNELS
Biology Quiz & Notes Physics Quiz & Notes Chemistry Quiz & Notes

Follow on Facebook

By Team Learning Mantras