Final answer:
The term for when two species experience similar environments and evolve similar adaptations is called convergent evolution, reflected in option 3) Convergence. This process is driven by similar environmental selection pressures leading to similar adaptations in distinct species.
Step-by-step explanation:
When two species evolve similar adaptations due to experiencing similar environments, this process is called convergent evolution. This phenomenon occurs not because the species have a common ancestry, but because they encounter similar selection pressures, meaning natural selection favors the same types of adaptations in different species to enhance their survival and reproductive success.
An excellent example of convergent evolution is seen in the arctic fox and the ptarmigan, two unrelated species that have both developed white colorations during winter to better blend into the snowy environment, thus avoiding predation. These adaptations arise independently in response to the same environmental challenge, showing that natural selection can lead to similar evolutionary outcomes among organisms living in similar habitats.
It's important to distinguish convergent evolution from coevolution, which happens when two species evolve in response to each other, often in symbiotic relationships. For instance, flowering plants and their pollinators like bees and hummingbirds often undergo coevolution. Adaptation, which is shaped by natural selection, plays a key role in the evolution of species, enabling them to survive, reproduce, and pass favorable traits on to their offspring.
In summary, the term describing when two species experience similar environments and evolve similar adaptations is option 3) Convergence, also known as convergent evolution. This concept is fundamental in understanding how species develop features that enhance their fitness in a shared ecological context.