Q3CC - Campbell Biology

Question

MAKE CONNECTIONS Hawaiian silverswords underwent remarkable adaptive radiation after their ancestor reached Hawaii, while the islands were still young (see Figure 25.22). Would you expect the cattle egret to undergo similar adaptive radiation in the Americas (see Figure 52.18)? Explain.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

The progenitor of the silverswords arrived in secluded Hawaii early in the islands' history, so it had minimal competition and filled several voids. 

 

On the other hand, cattle egrets are new to the Americas and must compete with well-established species. Due to this, its options for adaptive radiation will be significantly diminished.

Step 1: Population distribuition

Population distribution can be defined as the distribution of individuals within a similar region. In society, people are disproportionally dispersed.

Step 2: Range expansion

The expansion of range is a crucial applied and fundamental concern since it is how invasive species spread and how organisms monitor habitat shifts due to climate change. 

 

A rival can stifle or even stop a species' range expansion, according to ecologists. The necessity of dispersal becomes apparent when organisms reach a previously uninhabited area, known as a range extension.

Step 3: Adaptive radiation

Radiation is when organisms quickly develop new forms as the environment changes. When the environment changes and new resources become accessible, biotic interactions shift, or new niches open up.

 

Native to North America, Hawaiian silverswords are an example of a tarweed spreading long distances. Natural range expansions vividly demonstrate how dispersal affects distribution.