The process by which organisms with different evolutionary history evolve similar phenotypic adaptations in response to a common environmental challenge is called :
- Convergent evolution
- Adaptive radiation
- Natural selection
- Non-random evolution
Answer
(1) Convergent evolution
Solution
When unrelated organisms (different evolutionary history) live in similar environments, they develop similar adaptive features.
⇒ Such evolution of similar phenotypes from different ancestry is convergent evolution, e.g. Australian marsupials and placental mammals (marsupial mole and placental mole).
Adaptive radiation, in contrast, is divergence of many forms from a common ancestor.
Answer: (1)