aðlögunarhæfar
Aðlögunarhæfar, also known as adaptive radiation, is a process in evolutionary biology where organisms diversify rapidly from an ancestral species into a multitude of new forms, particularly when a change in the environment makes new resources available, creates new challenges, or opens new ecological niches. This phenomenon is often associated with speciation events, where a single species splits into distinct, reproductively isolated species.
The concept of adaptive radiation was first described by the biologist John Maynard Smith in 1970. A
Key factors contributing to adaptive radiation include:
1. **Resource Availability**: The presence of diverse resources can drive the evolution of different traits in
2. **Environmental Changes**: Changes in the environment, such as climate shifts or habitat alterations, can create
3. **Reproductive Isolation**: The development of mechanisms that prevent interbreeding between populations, such as behavioral, ecological,
Adaptive radiation is a significant mechanism in the process of biodiversity, contributing to the vast array