Question

Mass extinctions:

Select one:


a. Have never occurred

b. Have periodically opened vast new habitats for adaptive radiation to occur

c. May have been caused by the impact of a large meteorite or comet with Earth

d. Both B and C are correct

e. None of the above are correct

Answer 1

The correct answer is d. Both B and C are correct, as mass extinctions have periodically created opportunities for adaptive radiation and may have been caused by large impacts or other catastrophic environmental events.

Step-by-step explanation:

This answer aligns with historical and geological evidence that mass extinctions. Have periodically opened vast new habitats for adaptive radiation to occur. May have been caused by the impact of a large meteorite or comet with Earth. For instance, the end of the Cretaceous period 65 million years ago, marked a mass extinction caused by an asteroid, creating a dust cloud that blocked sunlight and disrupted the food chain.

Similarly, the Late Permian mass extinction, which was the most devastating, is thought to have been triggered by environmental changes due to massive volcanic activity in Siberia. These events allow for adaptive radiation as new species evolve to fill the vacancies left behind, dramatically affecting life on Earth and even defining geological time periods.