A recent study published in Nature has uncovered a remarkable link between river erosion and fish evolution. Researchers discovered that the process of river erosion can drive the evolution of fish species through the creation of new habitats. This research provides us with a greater understanding of how rivers shape the ecosystems they pass through, as well as the evolutionary history of fish species.

Researchers studied the evolutionary history of seven species of African cichlid fish and found that the fish had evolved in response to the changing conditions of the rivers they lived in. The study revealed that when rivers began to erode into their banks, new habitats were created and the fish adapted to these habitats over time. By using the fossil record, researchers were able to trace the evolution of the species to the same events in the river. This study demonstrates the powerful role that rivers can have on the evolution of fish species.

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source: Phys.org