Which of the following could be a vicariance event?
A) The level of water in a lake recedes, creating two lakes where there used to be one.
B) Some insects get blown in a storm to a new mountain range, where they lay eggs.
C) Radiation near Chernobyl increases mutation rates, causing an increase in autopolyploidy.
D) Global warming allows populations of mosquitoes to survive at higher elevations.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Vicariance is the splitting of a population by a geological or ecological barrier, such as a landmass splitting or a river forming. The recession of water in a lake would create two separate bodies of water and physically separate the organisms that live in them, making it a potential vicariance event. The other options do not involve the physical separation of a population by a barrier.

Which of the Following Could Be a Vicariance Event