How did the presence of an adaptation change the frequency of a specific trait in hummingbirds?
Most humans enjoy candy, cake, and ice cream. As a result of evolutionary history, we have a wide variety of tastes. This is not true of all animals. Cats do not seek sweets. Over the course of their evolutionary history, the cat family tree lost a gene to detect sweet flavors. Most birds also lack this gene, with a few exceptions. Hummingbirds are sugar junkies.
Hummingbirds evolved from an insect-eating ancestor. The genes that detect the savory flavor of insects underwent changes, making hummingbirds more sensitive to sugars. These new sweet-sensing genes give hummingbirds a preference for high-calorie flower nectar. Hummingbirds actually reject certain flowers whose nectar is not sweet enough!
- Mutation in the genes influences the modification in the genes that results in the adaptation associated with the environment such as dietary preferences.
- The development of evolutionary adaptation in the species enables them to survive and passes on the qualities through the generations.
- The tendency of Hummingbirds to sense sweetness evolved due to changes at genetic level from a primitive receptor of savory taste that is mainly sensitive to amino acid flavors.
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