Abril Romero

Anthropology 1020 001

E-Portfolio
Darwins Finches (and their beaks)
The Galapagos Treasure
Intorduction:
When Charles Darwin stepped ashore on the Galapagos Islands in
September 1835, it was the start of five weeks that would change the world of
science, although he did not know it at the time. Among other finds, he observed
and collected the variety of small birds that inhabited the islands, but he did not
realize their significance, and failed to keep good records of his specimens and
where they were collected. It was not until he was back in London, puzzling over
the birds, that the realization that they were all different, but closely related,
species of finch led him toward formulating the principle of natural selection.In his
memoir, The Voyage of the Beagle, Darwin noted, almost as if in awe, "One might
really fancy that, from an original paucity of birds in this archipelago, one species
had been taken and modified for different ends."Indeed, the Galapagos have
been called a living laboratory where speciation can be seen at work. A few
million years ago, one species of finch migrated to the rocky Galapagos from the
mainland of Central or South America. From this one migrant species would
come many -- at least 13 species of finch evolving from the single ancestor. This
process in which one species gives rise to multiple species that exploit different
niches is called adaptive radiation. The ecological niches exert the selection
pressures that push the populations in various directions. On various islands,
finch species have become adapted for different diets: seeds, insects, flowers,
the blood of seabirds, and leaves.The ancestral finch was a ground-dwelling,
seed-eating finch. After the burst of speciation in the Galapagos, a total of 14
species would exist: three species of ground-dwelling seed-eaters; three others
living on cactuses and eating seeds; one living in trees and eating seeds; and 7
species of tree-dwelling insect-eaters.Scientists long after Darwin spent years
trying to understand the process that had created so many types of finches that
differed mainly in the size and shape of their beaks.
(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/01/6/l_016_02.html)

Over the past four decades, evolutionary biologists Rosemary and Peter
Grant have documented the evolution of the famous Galpagos finches by
tracking changes in body traits directly tied to survival, such as beak length, and
identified behavioral characteristics that prevent different species from breeding
with one another. Their pioneering studies have revealed clues as to how 13
distinct finch species arose from a single ancestral population that migrated from
the mainland 2 million to 3 million years
ago. (http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/origin-species-beak-finch)

Hypothesis:
I believe that these finches beaks vary so much du to the conditions of the
islands. It would be my guess that depending on where these finches are located
(live) and what they eat, will determine what their beak shapes are like.
I think that because these islands are pretty new and still changing the species
continues to evolve to its surroundings.
Materials & Methods:
To test my hypothesis I did a lot of research on this subject. I not only
researched the finches, but also other animals that have adapted to their
environments. I found research done by people, and even videos, and even a
youtube channel. These all helped me in my research about finches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcM23M-CCog&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3265bno2X0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l25MBq8T77w
http://www.truthinscience.org.uk/tis2/index.php/evidence-for-evolution-mainmenu65/53-darwins-finches.html
Results:
Because of the extensive research done by these researches I was able to
prove my hypothesis about the finches. I learned that the finches have evoloved

in many ways to survive. The finches with a needle like beak uses it to pick out
insects, the woodpecker finches have a more bust beak, that they use for beetle
and termite larva, the cactus finches have a more sharp and pointed beak perfect
for cactus flowers.
Conclusion:
The basic idea behind their study of the finches is that their beaks are
tools. Just like in any job you need the right tool for the right job. This proves that
my hypothesis is correct about finches having to adapt and evolve to their
surroundings.
I believe that because their surroundings are still changing finches and all
species will continue to change and evolve. Maybe in a very small way, but in
years the difference could be huge. Even with these changes my hypothesis
would still be correct. Proving that we adapt to our environment.
I believe that if you were to conduct your own research you would find and
agree with the same results that I have. There have been many researchers
since Darwin and they find more and more information about these finches, and
why they are so different, yet related. They all have conducted different studies,
but their data and results have all been the same.
Discussion:

Adaptation (i.e., a beneficial trait that is heritable):Differences in beak size are

heritable morphological trait variations. Larger beaks are adaptive when only
large seeds are available; small beaks are adaptive when only small seeds are
available.

Selective pressure or selecting agent (i.e., what selected for one beak type
versus the other?):Food shortages and changing food supplies exert a selective
pressure on finch populations. The amount of rainfall itself, however, has only
indirect effects. The finches survival depended on the food supplies that resulted
from changes in weather patterns.

Fitness (i.e., increased likelihood to survive and reproduce):Fitness refers to an

individuals survival and lifetime reproductive success. Finches with the beneficial

trait variation therefore had a fitness advantage over the finches with the other,
less favorable trait variation.
Darwins finches. Charles Darwin brought the finches living on the
Galpagos Islands to scientists attention following his famed voyage on
HMS Beagle. Thirteen distinct species of Galpagos finches are adapted
to living in different habitats and eating different diets. One of the most
striking differences among species is the shape and size of their beaks.
Evolutionary change can occur rapidly, in only a few generations, if there
is genetic variation among individuals in a population and if natural
selection acting on this variation is strong. However, major change, such
as the origin of new species, often takes many thousands of generations.

Citations:
http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/film-guides-origin-species-beakfinchhttp://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/origin-species-beakfinchhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcM23MCCog&feature=youtu.behttps://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=n3265bno2X0https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=l25MBq8T77whttp://www.truthinscience.org.uk/tis2/index.php/evidence-forevolution-mainmenu-65/53-darwinsfinches.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/01/6/l_016_02.html)