What most likely caused the finches on the Galapagos Islands to have beaks that
were different from the finches living on the South American mainland?
Responses
The finches on the islands had to drink salt water.
The finches on the islands had to drink salt water.
There were different types of predators living on the island.
There were different types of predators living on the island.
The finches on the mainland built different types of nests.
The finches on the mainland built different types of nests.
There were different types of food available on the island.
There were different types of food available on the island.
Which statement is true regarding the picture above?
Responses
The fossil in layer 4 is most likely the youngest.
The fossil in layer 4 is most likely the youngest.
The fossils in layers 1 and 3 are from organisms that lived at the same time.
The fossils in layers 1 and 3 are from organisms that lived at the same time.
The fossils resemble living sea organisms, meaning that this area was under the ocean when those organisms were alive.
The fossils resemble living sea organisms, meaning that this area was under the ocean when those organisms were alive.
The fossil in layer 1 is most likely the oldest.
The fossil in layer 1 is most likely the oldest.
The statement "The fossil in layer 1 is most likely the oldest" is true regarding the picture above.
The most likely reason that the finches on the Galapagos Islands have beaks that are different from the finches living on the South American mainland is that there were different types of food available on the island.
To arrive at this answer, we can make an educated guess based on what we know about natural selection and the principles of evolution. The Galapagos Islands are isolated from the mainland, meaning the finches living there were subject to different environmental conditions and available resources. Over time, those finches with beak variations that were better suited for the specific types of food available on the island would have a selective advantage.
To determine this, scientists would likely have conducted studies and observations on the Galapagos finches, analyzing their diet and feeding habits. They would have compared this information to the mainland finches to understand the differences in available food sources.
By understanding the importance of the beak for feeding, scientists would have recognized that the different beak shapes in the Galapagos finches were likely adaptations to the specific food sources found on the islands. Consequently, the most reasonable explanation is that the different types of food available on the island caused the finches to have beaks that were different from those of the mainland finches.