[Campbell Biology P.63] Figure 1.17 illustrates the "unity and diversity among birds." Whic... | Practice Question

Figure 1.17 illustrates the "unity and diversity among birds." Which of the following statements accurately reflects the concept presented by this figure and the related text regarding how species branched from common ancestors?

  • A: Birds share a common body plan with features like feathers, beaks, and wings, but these features are specialized due to adaptations over time to diverse lifestyles.
  • B: The differences among these birds suggest they originated from entirely separate ancestral lines, indicating no common ancestry.
  • C: All birds in the figure are variations of a single species that underwent rapid mutation in different environments.
  • D: The primary reason for diversity in birds is their deliberate effort to change their physical traits to suit new environments.

Explanation

Figure 1.17 and the accompanying text illustrate that while birds share fundamental features unity , these features have become specialized diversity through descent with modification, allowing them to adapt to varied lifestyles. This aligns with Darwin's first main point about species adapting and accumulating differences.