Question
Download Solution PDFWhich one of the following is not an example of adaptive radiation?
This question was previously asked in
CUET Biology 23rd Aug 2022 Official Paper
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 3 : Moths in England
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CUET General Awareness (Ancient Indian History - I)
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50 Marks
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Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFKey Points
- Adaptive radiation is a process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area.
- It starts from an ancestral stock and radiating or moving to other habitats.
- It was first shown by Darwin while he studied the species of finches in the Galapagos islands.
- There were several species of finches that had diverged from the original seed-eating species.
- Competing with the same resources on the island allowed them to adopt with new beak features that reduced competition for survival.
- The feeding habit of Darwin's finches ranged from seeds to insects and many more.
- Similar example can be given for Australian marsupials and Australian placental mammals, that evolved within the continental island from an ancestral stock.
- The Australian placental mammals also show similarities with a corresponding marsupial. E.g.-Anteater and Numbat.
Additional Information
- Moths in England exemplify natural selection.
- A change was observed in the population of peppermoths of England after industrialization.
- Before industrialization, white-winged moths were more prevalent on the trees that were covered with whitish lichen, which grew in the absence of pollution.
- Post-industrialization, the trees became covered with soot and smoke, exposing the white-winged moths to predators.
- Here, the dark-winged or melanized moths survived better and hence became prevalent.
- In rural areas, however, the white-winged moths prevailed.
- This shows a directional selection in favour of the dark-winged moths in industrial are.
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