Patterns of Evolution

Humans are still subjected to the same pressures of natural selection as other organisms because we also compete for sources of food as our society becomes over populated while adapting to environmental concerns, such as global warming with radically different changes in climates, contaminated water sources, or other forms of pollution. Survival of the human race will require reproduction to avoid becoming extinct, thus ensuring the perpetuation of favorable traits in preceding generations.
Biologists have recognized that patterns of evolution exist and can vary because every species is unique.
Convergent evolution is unrelated organisms living in similar environments, which can evolve with similar characteristics, such as the example of a hurricane can look and feel the same, whether it occurs in Florida or Italy.
Divergent evolution, species living in different regions that were closely related, yet perhaps drifted apart, such as the example of the polar bear and the brown bear. Polar bears developed new characteristics because they needed blubber to keep warm in the snowy climates in comparison to the brown bear.
Adaptive radiation, several species move into a new territory and evolves into a completely new species, which began from a single species, such as the marsupials – kangaroos with powerful, long legs to cover large areas of land, and koalas with smaller, centralized bodies allowing them to climb trees.
Co-evolution occurs between interacting species with parallel evolutionary changes, such as the example of bees and the plants that they pollinate. One species relies on the other species.
The implications of adaptive radiation that may occur for future humans could be new physical attributes will continue to distinguish individuals living in hotter climates in comparison to colder climates, such as humans in North America versus South America with the amount of melanin and type of body structure.