Question

Over a span of several thousand years, a number of species show adaptations to climate change: Drier, warmer conditions select for succulent vegetation and deep taproots in plants, burrowing in mammals and amphibians, and other similar adaptive changes. What will happen if the climate shifts in the opposite direction and becomes progressively wetter and cooler?

A. Different adaptive trends will probably be favored in the new climatic environment.
B. Ongoing processes of adaptation will continue because of evolutionary inertia.
C. Adaptation will cease because cool, wet conditions are generally favorable for life.
D. Current adaptive trends will continue, but organisms will now also have to add on adaptations to deal with cool, wet conditions.

Answer 1

Different adaptive trends will likely be favored as the climate becomes wetter and cooler, leading to evolutionary adaptation in both flora and fauna to cope with the new environment.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the climate shifts in the opposite direction and becomes progressively wetter and cooler, then different adaptive trends will probably be favored in the new climatic environment. Over time, species will undergo evolutionary adaptation to these changes, with selection pressures favoring traits that are advantageous under cooler, wetter conditions.

This could result in the evolution of plants with broader leaves that prioritize light capture over water retention, or animals developing behaviors and physical traits more suitable to a colder and damper ecosystem. The exact changes would depend on the species and the specific environmental shifts they encounter.