Question

How are finches in the Galapagos islands a good example of adaptation?

Answer 1

The finches on the Galapagos Islands are a good example of adaptation because they all trace their ancestry into a small group of finches that inhabited these islands, but diversified in accordance to the environment. On the Galapagos Islands, there are finches that have numerous types of different beak shapes and sizes, despite them all being derived from a single group of finches that had the same characteristics. The reason for this is that once they got to these islands, there were multiple niches int the food chain that were free for taking. Some finches started to feed on plants, some on seeds, some became insect-eaters etc. Every food type needs special adaptation so that the finches can eat it more easily, or even be able to get to its nutritional part, thus their beaks started to change in accordance to their food preference.