AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -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-2: -In Galapagos he found a remarkable population of plants, birds and reptiles that had developed in isolation from the mainland, but often differed on almost identical islands next door to one another and whose characteristics he could only explain by a gradual transformation of the various species.

Detailed explanation-3: -Darwin’s observations that led to his theory of natural selection are: Overproduction-all species will produce more offspring than will survive to adulthood. Variation-there are variations between members of the same species. Adaptation-traits that increase suitability to a species’ environment will be passed on.

Detailed explanation-4: -It was while visiting the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador, that Darwin made some of his most important observations. In this group of volcanic islands, seen here from space, Darwin observed related species that had evolved differently on different islands.