Question

Adaptive radiation describes the rapid evolutionary diversification of a single ancestral line. The cluster of the Lake Victoria cichlid species (about 700) appears to have evolved quite rapidly. Many of the species may have originated after the Lake Victoria dried down 14.000 years ago, isolating local populations in small lakes until the water level rose again. The ecological and morphological diversity of these fish is remarkable. How and why adaptive radiation is considered an example for both divergent and convergent evolution?

Answer 1

Ans:

Adaptive Radiation deals with the evolution of a single ancestral species in to multiple novel species in short duration. The new group of species then adapt to new ecological environment where competition or predation is less.

Adaptive radiation is the term in evolution which indicates both type convergent and divergent evolution. Divergent meaning single species converted in to multiple new species here the divergent evolution comes in to picture. The population of new species spread/radiate in to new environment. It is convergent becuase adaptive radiation empties echological niches and in the same way it fills this niche. Meaning the new species forms some analogues morphology in all species so that they can withstand new environmental calamities together.