Welcome to the Galapagos Islands!
September 15, 1835
The HMS Beagle reached the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador (0S, 90W). Darwin invites you to join him in his skiff to visit several of the islands. As you visit each of the islands you see finches but you notice that each island has a finch with a different type of beak. Darwin explains that the changes in shape of bird beaks from island to island is due to adapted variations. The finches changed rapidly into a multitude of new forms, particularly when a change in the environment makes new resources available and opens environmental niches. He explains that every Galapagos finch shares a common ancestor. Every new generation had to conform to the remote island habitat and as a result developed different characteristics. But they did hang on to their inherited survival traits. In other words, beaks changed as the birds developed different adaptations to obtain food. Click on the video clip below to see the finches of the Galapagos Islands.
The HMS Beagle reached the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador (0S, 90W). Darwin invites you to join him in his skiff to visit several of the islands. As you visit each of the islands you see finches but you notice that each island has a finch with a different type of beak. Darwin explains that the changes in shape of bird beaks from island to island is due to adapted variations. The finches changed rapidly into a multitude of new forms, particularly when a change in the environment makes new resources available and opens environmental niches. He explains that every Galapagos finch shares a common ancestor. Every new generation had to conform to the remote island habitat and as a result developed different characteristics. But they did hang on to their inherited survival traits. In other words, beaks changed as the birds developed different adaptations to obtain food. Click on the video clip below to see the finches of the Galapagos Islands.
Darwin explains that adaptive variation is a key component of natural selection. He says that individuals within a population are different. Some individuals have different characteristics than others. These differences allow them to survive differently. Individuals with the best adaptations to the specific environment will survive and produce. Those that do survive will live to pass on their genes to the next generation.
In your journal, answer the following questions:
* What types of inherited variation did you see among the finches of the
Galapagos Islands?
* Illustrate how the finches of the Galapagos Islands demonstrated
inherited variation.
* How will inherited variation lead to natural selection?
* What types of inherited variation did you see among the finches of the
Galapagos Islands?
* Illustrate how the finches of the Galapagos Islands demonstrated
inherited variation.
* How will inherited variation lead to natural selection?