And it doesn’t involve Kirk Cameron! In the past, some folks here have said that there wasn’t any evidence that life evolves to take advantage of a new resource. Now, however, it looks like that just might be the case.
I wonder what the mechanism is that triggers this?
It makes sense, really - when there are available niches, mutations that help a species exploit them are more favoured than if there’s already someone exploiting that niche quite well. When all available niches are occupied, you’re more likely to prevail by becoming better at what you already do, than doing something new others are already good at.
Same sort of thing happens in market economics.