Question

Adaptive radiation is an example of which type of evolution?

Hint:

Adaptive radiation is a form of divergent evolution, where a species rapidly evolves into new forms to exploit different ecological niches.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding adaptive radiation.
Adaptive radiation is a form of divergent evolution in which a single ancestral species rapidly evolves into a wide variety of species, each adapted to a different ecological niche. This process typically occurs when organisms colonize new habitats with diverse environmental conditions.
Step 2: Conclusion.
Adaptive radiation is a classic example of divergent evolution, where species diversify from a common ancestor.

Answer 2

Step 1: Adaptive radiation happens when one ancestral species spreads into a new area and evolves into many different species.

Step 2: Each new species adapts to a different niche/habitat available to it.

Step 3: Since many different species branch out from one common ancestor, this is a classic example of divergent evolution.

Answer 3

Ruling out the alternative evolution types.
Convergent evolution describes unrelated species independently evolving similar traits, and parallel evolution describes related lineages changing in the same direction — neither fits here since adaptive radiation starts from ONE ancestor branching into many different forms. That outward branching, where a single lineage splits into several forms suited to different niches, is exactly what divergent evolution means, so adaptive radiation is classed as divergent evolution.