Galapagos Finch Evolution — HHMI BioInteractive Video

How many species of beetles are known to exist?

• More than 500,000

• Less than 100,000

• About 177,000

• Over 300,000

What islands are researchers focusing on to understand how new species form?

• Fiji Islands

• Caribbean Islands

• Galapagos Islands

• Hawaiian Islands

Who were the biologists studying the finches in the Galapagos?

• Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace

• Gregor Mendel and James Watson

• Peter and Rosemary Grant

• Carl Linnaeus and Thomas Malthus

What year did the Grants start their research on Daphne Major?

• 1973

• 1983

• 1963

• 1993

What significant event occurred in 1977 affecting the finches?

• Introduction of a new predator

• An unusually strong El Niño

• A severe drought

• A volcanic eruption

What trait was crucial for the survival of medium ground finches during the drought?

• Wing length

• Beak size

• Feather color

• Leg strength

What did the Grants discover about finch beak size after the drought?

• It remained the same

• It decreased on average

• It increased on average

• It showed no significant pattern

What effect did the 1983 El Niño have on the finches?

• Shifted diet preferences

• Decreased beak size

• Increased beak size

• No change in beak size

How do different species of finches avoid interbreeding?

• Through differences in beak size

• By feeding at different times

• By singing different songs

• By living in different habitats

What is a key factor in the evolution of the Galapagos finches according to the Grants?

• Geography and ecology

• Predator presence

• Climate change

• Human intervention