Question

The many species of Galapagos finches were each adapted to eating different foods. This is an example of ______.

Options

• sympatric speciation

• adaptive radiation

• gene flow

• all of these

Answer 1

The many species of Galapagos finches were each adapted to eating different foods. This is an example of adaptive radiation.

Explanation:

Adaptive radiation occurs when a single ancestral species rapidly diversifies into multiple species, each adapted to different ecological niches or food sources. In the Galapagos Islands, the finches evolved various beak shapes and sizes suited to different diets, demonstrating this process. This diversification from a common ancestor into multiple specialized forms in the same geographic area is a classic example of adaptive radiation.