AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -1: Finches of Daphne Major: A drought on the Galápagos island of Daphne Major in 1977 reduced the number of small seeds available to finches, causing many of the small-beaked finches to die. This caused an increase in the finches’ average beak size between 1976 and 1978.

Detailed explanation-2: -Long, pointed beaks made some of them more fit for picking seeds out of cactus fruits. Shorter, stouter beaks served best for eating seeds found on the ground. Eventually, the immigrants evolved into 14 separate species, each with its own song, food preferences, and beak shapes.

Detailed explanation-3: -Darwin’s finches are a classical example of an adaptive radiation. Their common ancestor arrived on the Galapagos about two million years ago. During the time that has passed the Darwin’s finches have evolved into 15 recognized species differing in body size, beak shape, song and feeding behaviour.

Detailed explanation-4: -How did the seed types affect the evolution of Darwin’s finches? An observation on the finches’ beak structure and feeding behavior were conducted to determine how the seed types affected the evolution of the finches. According to this study, the size of the bird’s beak is related to the way it feeds itself.

Detailed explanation-5: -Environmental change coupled with the gene HMGA2 drove the rapid evolution of a smaller overall beak size in the medium ground finch (Geospiza fortis) that inhabits Daphne Major in the Galápagos Islands.