Which of the following best predicts what would have happened to the finch species on the island if there was little or no food for the small beak finches?

A. The small beaked finch species would eventually grow larger beaks.
B. The small beaked finch species would interbreed with other species on the island.
C. Without an appropriate food source, the small beaked species could become extinct.
D. The population of small beaked finches would remain small until food became available.

Question

22-01-2025
Biology

High School

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Which of the following best predicts what would have happened to the finch species on the island if there was little or no food for the small beak finches?

A. The small beaked finch species would eventually grow larger beaks.
B. The small beaked finch species would interbreed with other species on the island.
C. Without an appropriate food source, the small beaked species could become extinct.
D. The population of small beaked finches would remain small until food became available.

Answer :

Final answer:

The most likely outcome for small-beaked finches with little or no food is extinction due to natural selection and competition for scarce resources. In an environment where survival depends on available food, these finches may struggle to exist if they cannot adapt quickly enough. Therefore, without food, the small-beaked finches face significant survival challenges.

Explanation:

Prediction for Finch Species with Little or No Food

In evaluating the likely outcomes for small-beaked finches in an environment with limited food, the most plausible scenario is that without an appropriate food source, the small-beaked species could become extinct. This phenomenon is a result of natural selection, where individuals of a species that are better adapted to available resources survive and reproduce. In contrast, those that are not well-suited to the changing environment struggle to survive, leading to a decline in their population.

Reasons Behind Extinction

Natural Selection: If small beak size is inefficient for accessing available food, these birds are likely to face starvation.
Population Dynamics: As food becomes scarce, competition increases, further endangering smaller beaked finches.
Adaptation Challenges: While adaptation might occur over many generations, immediate food scarcity could make survival difficult, leading to extinction rather than gradual change or interbreeding with other species.

While the hypothesis that small-beaked finches would eventually grow larger beaks could occur if larger beaks became advantageous for accessing different food sources, the immediate impact of little to no food leads us to predict extinction rather than adaptation.

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