The Earth's History — Test

Question 11 • Earth and Space Science

What is a plausible reason why evolutionary radiations tend to follow mass extinctions?

Answer

Surviving organisms have access to more resources than were available to them before the extinction event.

Mass extinctions wipe out all life except the simplest forms, so evolution must start over again to generate new life forms.

Extinction events cause improvements in climate that make the planet more suitable for a wider variety of life forms.

Organisms that become extinct are not complex or diverse, and organisms that survive extinction events are.

Explanation

Mass extinctions can eliminate many species, leaving surviving organisms with less competition for food, space, and other resources. Those survivors may spread into newly available ecological niches and diversify, producing an evolutionary radiation. This makes “surviving organisms have access to more resources than were available to them before the extinction event” the plausible reason; mass extinctions do not wipe out all life or necessarily improve the climate.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

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