Adaptive Radiation and Speciation Lab

Name: Zachary Esposito Date: 01/28/2019

Instructions: Use the link below to learn about Adaptive Radiation. Answer
the questions as you explore the module.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/darwin/origin/

_____ 4 points
Questions:
1. What is adaptive radiation?
- Adaptive radiation is the evolution of an animal or plant group into a
variety of types adapted to specialized modes of life.

2. What factor changes the environment of the birds?

- A large hurricane hits the mainland and a lot of the birds are blown
on to several offshore islands.

3. What happens to the birds that are well adapted to their new homes?
- The birds that are well adapted will live and pass on their genes.

4. What will happens to the birds that are NOT well adapted to their new
homes?
- The birds that are not well adapted will eventually become extinct.

_____ 6 points
DATA: Complete the table to describe the evolution of the birds. Choose
Note: click “map” in order to return to the map to investigate the next bird.

What location did you choose? Norcross Island

Location competition habitat food predators
and time
period
5 MYA None Similar to mainland coast Seeds Low
where pollenkeepers Insects
come from. Flowers

4 MYA Reached its peak. Extends about a mile Seeds Low

inland from the coast. Insects
 Flowers

3 MYA Reduced for a brief No habitat changes for Seeds Low

period of time. Second this Insects
group of pollenkeepers period Flowers
emerge.

2 MYA No new forms of Coastal-warm and dry Seeds Low

competition but coastal Cloud forest-very cool Insects
population is overcrowded and wet Flowers

1 MYA Intense, threatening the No changes in the habitat Seeds Low

new arrivals survival. Insects
Third group of Flowers
pollenkeepers emerge

present Little competition Blue headed Seeds Low

between the 3 groups of pollenkeepers dominate Insects
pollenkeepers the deep forest. New Flowers
arrivals occupy the open
meadows

_____ 10 points
Conclusion:
Write a paragraph to explain how and why the birds evolved.
Over the course of the lab, from the 5 MYA to the present the birds evolved and adapted to
the new surroundings that they were in. Over the course of time, the major changes that were
noticed was how the beaks of the birds changed (longer and curved) and they added more color
to their heads (blue). As more and more birds arrived and born there would be times of
competition between them and in some cases high at times, the birds would adapt to each other
and the environment or they would die and become extinct. When more birds emerged on the
island it would become crowded and the birds would eventually move inland, this would prevent
overcrowding near the coastline. During the time frame there was no change in the eating habits
and the predators to the birds was kept low.