Which of the following statements best describes the response of finches to drought on the Galapagos Islands?

A. During drought, individual finches saw that large, hard seeds were the only available food. To crack these harder seeds, individual finches grew their beaks larger, resulting in an increased average beak depth.

B. During drought, finches struggled to open harder seeds. All the scraping and pecking wore down their beaks, resulting in a reduced average beak depth.

C. During drought, only finches with larger-than-average beaks were able to crack the hard seeds that were available. These finches survived while smaller-beaked finches died, resulting in an increased average beak depth in the population.

D. During drought, finches with smaller beaks (and smaller bodies) had an advantage. With reduced food supplies, larger finches (with larger beaks) were more likely to starve. The result was a decrease in average beak depth.

Question

27-12-2024
Biology

High School

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Which of the following statements best describes the response of finches to drought on the Galapagos Islands?

A. During drought, individual finches saw that large, hard seeds were the only available food. To crack these harder seeds, individual finches grew their beaks larger, resulting in an increased average beak depth.

B. During drought, finches struggled to open harder seeds. All the scraping and pecking wore down their beaks, resulting in a reduced average beak depth.

C. During drought, only finches with larger-than-average beaks were able to crack the hard seeds that were available. These finches survived while smaller-beaked finches died, resulting in an increased average beak depth in the population.

D. During drought, finches with smaller beaks (and smaller bodies) had an advantage. With reduced food supplies, larger finches (with larger beaks) were more likely to starve. The result was a decrease in average beak depth.

Answer :

Final answer:

During drought, larger-beaked finches survived better by being able to eat hard seeds unavailable to smaller-beaked finches. This led to an increase in average beak depth within the population, illustrating natural selection. The phenomenon emphasizes how environmental changes can impact species adaptation.

Explanation:

Response of Finches to Drought on the Galapagos Islands

The best statement that describes the response of finches during a drought on the Galapagos Islands is:

During drought, only finches with larger-than-average beaks were able to crack the hard seeds that were available. These finches survived while smaller-beaked finches died, resulting in an increased average beak depth in the population.

During drought conditions, food sources can become scarce and change in type, leading to what is known as natural selection. The larger beaks of some finches allowed them to exploit food resources that smaller-beaked finches could not access, such as large, hard seeds. As a result, finches with traits favoring larger beak sizes were more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to a change in the average size of beaks in the population.

Examples of Natural Selection in Action

This phenomenon was famously studied in the Galapagos finches by Charles Darwin, and reflects how environmental pressures can shape the evolution of species over generations. In this case, the availability of food and competition for resources drove survival and reproductive success based on beak size.

Learn more about Natural Selection here:

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