What is the role of natural selection in adaptive radiation?

Natural selection plays a crucial role in adaptive radiation by driving diversification based on environmental pressures. In adaptive radiation, species evolve rapidly from a common ancestor to fill various ecological niches. Natural selection favors individuals with traits that are advantageous in specific environments, allowing them to survive and reproduce more effectively. This leads to the development of distinct adaptations tailored to different habitats, resources, or lifestyles.

For instance, when a group of organisms encounters new environments, those individuals with variations that provide a competitive advantage (such as better foraging strategies, more efficient locomotion, etc.) are more likely to thrive and pass on those beneficial traits to their offspring. This process ultimately results in the emergence of new species, each well-suited to their unique ecological roles.

In contrast, the other choices do not accurately reflect the role of natural selection. For example, the idea that natural selection favors harmful traits is contrary to the foundation of evolutionary theory, as harmful traits would decrease an organism's chances of survival. Similarly, the notion that natural selection acts uniformly across all populations overlooks the fact that different populations may experience varied environmental pressures, leading to different adaptations. Finally, the idea that natural selection prevents significant changes from occurring undermines the fundamental mechanism of evolution, which relies on the continuous adaptation of