AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Adaptation is supported by Darwin’s observation of local variation among tortoises in the Galapagos Islands. In biology, an adaptation, also called an adaptive trait, is a trait with a current functional role in the life of an organism that is maintained and evolved by means of natural selection.

Detailed explanation-2: -Over time, Darwin began to wonder if species from South America had reached the Galapagos and then changed as they adapted to new environments. This idea-that species could change over time-eventually led to Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection.

Detailed explanation-3: -One key observation Darwin made occurred while he was studying the specimens from the Galapagos Islands. He noticed the finches on the island were similar to the finches from the mainland, but each showed certain characteristics that helped them to gather food more easily in their specific habitat.

Detailed explanation-4: -He noticed that each finch species had a different type of beak, depending on the food available on its island. The finches that ate large nuts had strong beaks for breaking the nuts open. Finches that ate small nuts and seeds had beaks for cracking nuts and seeds.

Detailed explanation-5: -Darwin called this mechanism of change natural selection.