Adaptative Radiation Flashcards
1
Q
What is adaptive radiation?
A
Is the evolution of an animal or plant group into a wide variety of types adapted to specialised modes of life.
2
Q
What are the 2 most significant differences between the populations of finches?
A
- size
- beak
3
Q
Why would different populations of finches beaks vary?
A
Their beaks are highly adapted to different food sources.
4
Q
What is the beak shape of a finch that eats fruit?
A
Hooked for tearing fruit open.
5
Q
What is the beak shape of a finch that eats cactus?
A
Long and pointed to avoid cactus spines.
6
Q
What is the beak shape of a finch that eats seeds?
A
Short and broad to crush seeds.
7
Q
How did adaptive radiation occur in ‘Darwins’ finches?
A
- Finches were blown away from the mainland to different islands causing them to be geographically isolated.
- Different populations experience different selection pressures.
- Different mutations occurred in different populations
- They became sexually isolated.
