What does the 'evolutionary explosion' leading to New World wood warblers imply about diversification?
Answer
Multiple, perhaps simultaneous, radiations occurred exploiting underused resources or new habitats.
The term 'evolutionary explosion' in the context of wood warbler diversification suggests a period of rapid increase in species diversity. This rapid increase implies that the speciation process was characterized by multiple, potentially overlapping or simultaneous radiations. These radiations were likely driven by strong and immediate selective advantages favoring new forms that could successfully exploit previously underused ecological resources or occupy habitats that had just become available. This rapid burst of speciation contrasts sharply with models suggesting slow, stepwise divergence governed only by gradual geographic isolation.
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