The diagram shows the speciation of finches from different islands in the Galapagos Islands, as observed by Charles Darwin. Which statement best explains the pattern of biodiversity in the finch population.
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The finches are at various life stages.
The finches migrated from different places.
The finches do not have a common ancestor.
The finches do not have the same food sources.
The finches do not have a common ancestor.
The best statement that explains the pattern of biodiversity in the finch population is: The finches do not have a common ancestor.
To determine which statement best explains the pattern of biodiversity in the finch population, let's analyze the given options:
1. The finches are at various life stages: This statement does not directly explain the pattern of biodiversity observed in the finch population. Life stages may differ among individuals within a population, but it does not necessarily account for the observed diversity.
2. The finches migrated from different places: This statement suggests that the finches originated from different locations and then migrated to the Galapagos Islands. However, this doesn't fully explain the pattern of biodiversity, as migration alone does not guarantee diversification.
3. The finches do not have a common ancestor: This statement suggests that the finches do not share a common ancestor. This could explain the pattern of biodiversity, as speciation events could have occurred independently on each island, leading to the observed diversity.
4. The finches do not have the same food sources: This statement suggests that the different finch species have distinct food sources. This could be a contributing factor to the observed biodiversity, as variation in available food resources can drive adaptive radiation and lead to the evolution of different beak shapes and sizes in response to different food sources.
Considering the context of Charles Darwin's observations in the Galapagos Islands, the statement that best explains the pattern of biodiversity in the finch population is:
- The finches do not have a common ancestor.
- The finches do not have the same food sources.
It is worth noting that the concept of "adaptive radiation" explains the diversification of species from a common ancestor into different ecological niches, allowing them to exploit various available resources. Dietary specialization in response to different food sources is one of the driving forces behind the diversification of the Galapagos finches.