On the Galápagos Islands, some species of Darwin's finches have large bills capable of cracking hard nuts and seeds, some have smaller beaks useful for catching insects, and one has a beak capable of using tools to extract insects from within the bark of trees.In 1977, the Galápagos had abnormally low rainfall, and seed plants produced small crops.The population of seed-eating finches fell 85%.Large birds, especially males with strong beaks, survived disproportionately well because they were able to crack large seeds.This scenario suggests that rapid speciation in finches on the Galápagos Islands was facilitated by
A) dispersal ability.
B) type of plant pollination.
C) dietary specialization.
D) sexual selection.
E) polyploidy.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The scenario described suggests that the evolution of different beak sizes and shapes in Darwin's finches on the Galápagos Islands was driven by dietary specialization. In particular, the ability to eat different types of seeds or insects would confer a survival advantage depending on the availability of different foods in a given environment. This would lead to differential survival and reproduction of individuals with different beak sizes and shapes, eventually leading to the formation of new species.

On the Galápagos Islands, Some Species of Darwin's Finches Have