After the drought of 1977,researchers hypothesized that on Daphne Major,medium ground finches with large,deep beaks survived better than those with smaller beaks because they could more easily crack and eat the tough Tribulus cistoides fruits.If this hypothesis is true,what would you expect to observe if a population of these medium ground finches colonizes a nearby island where Tribulus cistoides is the primary available food in all years? Assume that (1)even the survivors of the 1977 drought sometimes had difficulty cracking the tough T.cistoides fruits and would eat other seeds when offered a choice,and (2)food availability is the primary limit on finch fitness on this new island.
A)evolution of yet larger,deeper beaks over time
B)evolution of smaller,pointier beaks over time
C)random fluctuations in beak size and shape
D)no change in beak size and shape

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If the primary food source is the tough Tribulus cistoides fruits, natural selection would favor finches with larger, deeper beaks that can crack these fruits more efficiently, leading to the evolution of larger, deeper beaks over time.

After the Drought of 1977,researchers Hypothesized That on Daphne Major,medium