Which of the following best characterizes an adaptive radiation? a. Descendant species occupy a large geographic area. b. A single lineage diversifies rapidly, and descendant species occupy many habitats and ecological roles. c. Natural selection is particularly intense, because disruptive selection occurs. d. Species recover after a mass extinction.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of adaptive radiation. Adaptive radiation is an evolutionary process where organisms diversify rapidly from an ancestral species into a multitude of new forms, particularly when a change in the environment makes new resources available, creates new challenges, or opens new environmental niches.
2. Step 2: Evaluate each option in the context of this definition. Option a, 'Descendant species occupy a large geographic area', is not necessarily indicative of adaptive radiation. While it's true that descendant species may spread out geographically, this is not the defining characteristic of adaptive radiation.
3. Step 3: Option b, 'A single lineage diversifies rapidly, and descendant species occupy many habitats and ecological roles', aligns well with the definition of adaptive radiation. This option describes the rapid diversification into new forms and the occupation of various ecological roles, which are key aspects of adaptive radiation.
4. Step 4: Option c, 'Natural selection is particularly intense, because disruptive selection occurs', is not necessarily indicative of adaptive radiation. While natural selection and disruptive selection can play roles in adaptive radiation, they are not the defining characteristics.
5. Step 5: Option d, 'Species recover after a mass extinction', is not necessarily indicative of adaptive radiation. While it's true that adaptive radiation can occur after mass extinctions when new niches become available, this is not the defining characteristic. Therefore, the best answer is option b.