Question

The fact that marine predators like dolphins and sharks have \(\operatorname{sim}\) ilar shapes despite different ancestry is an example of (a) convergent evolution; (b) narrow bandwidth; (c) spontaneous creation.

Short answer

(a) convergent evolution.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding the Concept

To solve this problem, you need to understand the scientific concepts associated with the question. The question refers to the phenomenon where different species develop similar traits or features not due to a common ancestor, but because of similar environmental pressures and natural selection.

Analyzing the Options

We are given three options: (a) convergent evolution, (b) narrow bandwidth, and (c) spontaneous creation. Let's briefly define these terms: (a) Convergent evolution is the process where organisms not closely related independently evolve similar traits. (b) Narrow bandwidth doesn't relate to evolutionary biology, it is more relevant in contexts like data transmission. (c) Spontaneous creation, which lacks scientific basis and doesn't explain evolutionary processes.

Identifying the Most Relevant Concept

Considering the explanation provided and the definitions of the terms, the concept that best describes similar traits in different species due to similar environmental pressures is 'convergent evolution.' Dolphins and sharks have similar streamlined bodies as both have adapted to swimming efficiently in water, but they do not share a recent common ancestor.

Conclusion and Answer Selection

Based on the information analyzed, the phenomenon described fits the definition of convergent evolution. Therefore, the correct choice is (a) convergent evolution.

Key concepts

Evolutionary Biology

Evolutionary biology is the branch of biology that studies the processes and patterns of biological evolution. It explores how organisms evolve over time through changes in genetics and physical traits. Evolutionary biology seeks to understand the diversity of life forms and how they are related to one another. It involves the study of fossils, genetic data, and the behavior of living organisms to piece together the story of life's history.

This field of study is central to our understanding of how species adapt to environmental challenges, which in turn, shapes the web of life on Earth. Evolutionary processes can be categorized into different types, such as microevolution, which involves small changes within a species, and macroevolution, which includes larger scale changes that may lead to the emergence of new species.

• Microevolution: Refers to changes in a population's gene pool over a short period.
• Macroevolution: Encompasses large evolutionary changes that may result in the formation of a new species.
• Speciation: The process by which new species arise.

Evolutionary biology also addresses the development of significant traits among species through natural selection and genetic drift, creating new adaptations that allow species to survive and thrive in varying environmental conditions.

Natural Selection

Natural selection is a key mechanism of evolution, first introduced by Charles Darwin. It describes how certain traits become more or less common in a population due to the influence of environmental pressures.

In natural selection, individuals possessing traits better suited to their environment tend to survive longer and reproduce more. This increases the frequency of these advantageous traits in the population over generations. Natural selection can favor or diminish specific characteristics, leading to adaptation to the environment.

• Survival of the Fittest: The idea that individuals better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.
• Variation: Genetic differences among individuals in a population.
• Inheritance: Traits must be heritable for natural selection to influence them.
• Overproduction: More offspring are produced than can survive, leading to competition.

This process helps explain convergent evolution, where distinct species develop similar features as a result of adapting to equivalent challenges in their environments. Convergent evolution is a testament to how natural selection can lead to similar adaptations in different lineages.

Marine Biology

Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms that live in saltwater environments, ranging from oceans and seas to estuaries and coastal regions. It covers a wide variety of life forms, from the smallest plankton to the largest whales. This field explores the interactions among marine life and how they coexist with and adapt to their marine environments.

Marine biology is fundamentally linked to evolutionary biology, as it examines how species evolve to thrive in the ocean's unique conditions. Marine environments posed significant challenges that have often led to fascinating evolutionary solutions, such as the development of streamlined bodies in marine predators like dolphins and sharks. These similar features in unrelated species, resulting from equivalent survival pressures, exemplify convergent evolution.

• Marine Habitats: Include diverse environments such as coral reefs, deep-sea vents, and open oceans.
• Aquatic Adaptations: Morphological and behavioral adaptations allowing organisms to survive underwater.
• Biodiversity: Marine environments contain a vast array of life forms contributing to ecological balance.

Understanding marine biology is critical for conservation efforts, as it helps assess human impacts on marine ecosystems and develop strategies to protect them. It also furthers comprehension of evolutionary dynamics through the lens of life in aquatic settings.