Divergent+Evolution+and+Adaptive+Radiation

Divergent Evolution:
Define: Divergent evolution is when two or more different species are very similar or a lot alike, and then they begin to show several differences making them become more and more different than each other. Example: Polar Bears and Grizzly Bears Kingdom: Animalia (polar) / Animalia (grizzly) Phylum: Chordata (polar) / Chordata (grizzly) Subphylum: Vertebrata (polar) / Vertebrata (grizzly) Class: Mammalia (polar) / Mammalia (grizzly) Order: Carnivora (polar) / Carnivora (grizzly) Family: Ursidae (polar) / Ursidae (grizzly) Genus: Ursus (polar) / Ursus (grizzly) Species: maritimus (polar) / arctos (grizzly) Polar bears and grizzly bears are very similar in both body structure and somewhat in appearance. They also come from the same ancestry. Polar bears have a white fur coat to help blend in with the snow. This heavy coats keeps them warm, because they live in cold environments. Grizzly bears display usually brown coats with white tips miaking them appear to look more like their fellow polar bears. They also live in colder climates such as Alaska and Canada. However, because grizzly bears live further south than polar bears, they’ve adapted to their environment by eating fish, honey, and other food that happens to be in their surroundings. Polar bears survive on seal, different types of fish, etc. The two bears are very much alike, but growing more different as they adapt to their surroundings.

Adaptive Radiation: Type of Divergent Evolution


Define: Most species can be linked back to one another. This is because many species have common ancestry. Adaptive radiation is the fact that many species are linked back to one another.

Example: In Asia, there are five and soon to be six different subspecies of tigers. These tigers can all be drawn back to to each other, but have changed to adapt to the new environment they live in and were named after. The subspecies include: Bengal tigers, Indo-Chinese tigers, Sumatran tigers, Siberian tigers, and South China tigers.

Darwin: Charles Darwin studied finches to help prove evolution and lead to the discovery of adaptive radiation. In this study, he traced the different types of finches back to the one type of finch that started it all. Through a process known as natural selection, finches began to change to adapt as they migrated. Some grew longer beaks to be able to break through harder shells. Others changed color to blend in with their surrounding. But by connecting them all back to the one original type of finch we can understand what adaptive radiation truly is. Top Left to Right: South China Tiger, Indo-Chinese Tiger, Siberian Tiger Bottom Left to Right: Sumatran Tiger, Bengal Tiger