Evolutionary Adaptations of Geospiza Finches of the Galapagos

Evolutionary Adaptations of Geospiza Finches of the Galapagos

Purpose: To investigate the probability of evolutionary adaptations in

a simulated study of the finches of the Galapagos Islands.

Hypothesis: There is a link between the food available on each island,

the shape of the finches beak and the habitat the bird lives in. The

"link" is natural selection as explained by Darwin.

Procedure: The various tools (i.e. pliers, forceps, etc.) provided

will represent the beaks of the six species of Geospiza. Each student

will be a member of one of the six species and will "forage" for seeds

from the provided tray placed in the center of a table. Only species

found on a certain Galapagos' island will compete for these seeds. The

foraging will run for 30 seconds. During this 30 seconds period, each

"species" member will try to move as many seeds from the center tray

into their petri dish as possible. Three individuals fro each species

will provide data for each Island.

Evaluation: Conclusion: Using Darwin's theory of natural selection,

the amount of food that each finch consumed on their respective island

allows us to draw many conclusions about the food available on each

island, the shape of the finches beak, the habitat the bird lives in,

and their evolutionary adaptations. Nature selects the best adapted

varieties of species to survive and to reproduce. This process is

known as natural selection.The beak varieties of the finches were

associated with their diets, based on different foods. When the

finches reached the islands, they dispersed to different environments

where they had to adapt to different conditions. The more food a finch

could get meant that it was better adapted to survive on the island

with that food present on it. This also means that the island would be

the ideal location for that finches niche or habitat. So the finches

that were able to consume adequate amounts of food would survive and

reproduce on the island. Their favorable traits would also be passed

along generations, anatomically changing that finch species that would