A long-term environmental change can lead to the development of a new species through a process known as divergent evolution.
When an environmental change occurs, it can create new habitats or alter existing ones in a way that causes a population of organisms to become isolated from the original population. This isolation can lead to differences in the environments in which the two populations live, as well as differences in the selective pressures they experience.
Over time, these differences can drive the two populations to evolve in different directions, with each population adapting to better suit its specific environment. This can result in the accumulation of genetic differences between the two populations, eventually leading to the formation of distinct species.
For example, if a population of birds becomes isolated on an island due to rising sea levels, the birds on the island may face different food sources and predators compared to the birds on the mainland. Over time, this could lead to the birds on the island developing different beak shapes and colors to better adapt to their new environment, eventually leading to the formation of a new species of bird.
Explain how a long-term environmental change can lead to the development of a new species.
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A long-term environmental change can lead to the development of a new species through divergent evolution. When a population becomes isolated due to the change, different selective pressures and environments can cause genetic differences to accumulate over time, leading to the formation of distinct species. For example, isolated birds may evolve different traits to adapt to their new habitats, eventually resulting in the creation of a new species.