LE Beaks of Finches

Which row correctly pairs a finch species with its primary nutritional role and bill type?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

On various Galapagos islands, finch species have different diets: seeds, insects, flowers, the blood of seabirds, and leaves. This is evidence that each species has a different

• mating behavior

• nesting material

• niche

• predator

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

Which statement best explains the differences observed in the tortoises on each island?

• Each tortoise adapted to its environment during its lifetime.

• Sudden mutations changed the appearance of all of the tortoises.

• The tortoises grew different structures based on the available food.

• Different adaptations gave some tortoises a better chance of survival.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

When the saddle-backed tortoises extend their long necks out of the shell, they are unprotected from attack. Scientists hypothesize that during the evolution of this tortoise, they had few predators. Which statement best supports this hypothesis?

• Competition between the predators and the tortoises would have resulted in a greater number of long-necked tortoises.

• The number of predators was greater than the number of tortoises.

• Saddle-backed tortoises were not a part of the food chain.

• Predators would have killed the tortoises with long necks, leaving more tortoises with shorter necks.

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-1

NGSS.HS-LS4-2

NGSS.HS-LS4-3

NGSS.HS-LS4-4

The extremes of dry and wet weather of the Galapagos Islands cause the food supply to constantly change. During dry years, the food is mainly large, hard seeds, and finches with large beaks are found in greater numbers.

Which statement best explains this observation?

• Large beak size is an adaptation to dry conditions.

• Finches grow larger when they have more water.

• Dry environments cause mutations in finches

• Small finches become smaller during dry

  seasons.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Studies of the finches of the Galapagos Islands have shown that

• the beak of a finch will change if the environment of the bird remains stable

• a bird's beak changes annually in response to the type of food that is most abundant each year

• natural selection occurs when there are scarce resources and intense competition

• DNA will change to produce structures needed by birds to survive intense competition

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Which of the following statements best explains the variation in the beaks of these four species?

• Over time, an abundance of seeds for food led to increased differences between the species.

• Competition for limited food resources led to selection for different traits.

• Over time, an abundance of seeds for food led to increased similarities between the species.

• Competition for limited food resources led to selection for similar traits.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

The success of the finches on the Galapagos was most likely due to the

• large numbers of other birds competing for food

• birds adapting to different niches

• birds occupying the same island

• mutations occurring in every offspring

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

The seed-eating finch in the given diagram was most likely the

• common ancestor

• most successful

• largest finch

• parent of the other finches

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

How might an extended period of drought influence the ground finch population in the given situation?

• Drought increases seed availability, and all ground finches would be more numerous.

• Drought decreases seed availability, but has no influence on the ground finch.

• The birds with smaller beaks would be more numerous.

• The birds with larger beaks would be more numerous.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4