Answer :

Final answer:

Peter and Rosemary Grant conducted long-term research on Galápagos finch populations, thoroughly documenting instances of evolution by natural selection. Their work highlighted how environmental factors caused shifts in beak sizes among finches, validating the theory of evolution through direct observation.

Explanation:

Peter and Rosemary Grant spent years on the Galapagos islands studying changes in Galápagos finch populations. These biologists dedicated over three decades to document the process of evolution by natural selection in the medium ground finches, particularly on the island of Daphne Major. Their studies showed how environmental changes, like drought and variations in food availability, could lead to observable changes in beak size and form among these birds, thereby providing solid evidence that natural selection can lead to evolution over time.

The Grants observed that a severe drought in 1977 caused a food shortage, leading to the death of smaller-beaked finches who couldn't crack the tough remaining seeds. Larger-beaked individuals survived and passed their traits to their offspring, resulting in a generation of finches with larger beaks. Conversely, during a period following an El Niño with increased rainfall and a plethora of small seeds, small-beaked finches thrived and reproduced more, demonstrating the reverse trend in beak size.

Through their extensive fieldwork, Peter and Rosemary Grant were true eyewitnesses to evolution, providing valuable insights into the mechanisms of evolution that Charles Darwin himself could only theorize about during his initial studies on the islands. Their research has had a significant impact on our understanding of evolutionary biology.

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