Question

Base your answers the questions below on the information provided and your knowledge of biology. Ocean-dwelling (marine) iguanas and land iguanas inhabit the Galapagos Islands. Some scientists believe that both types of iguanas diverged from a common ancestor. Marine iguanas eat algae. Land iguanas feed on cacti. Algae are more abundant in the ocean than cacti are on the islands. Both species lay their eggs in the sand. Rats, cats, and goats have been introduced to the islands by humans. Rats feed on iguana eggs, cats eat baby iguanas, and goats eat cacti. • Which population of iguanas, marine or land, would you expect to be larger? Support your answer. • Identify one technique that can be used to support the conclusion that these two species of iguana developed from a common ancestor.

Answer 1

Answer:

- The marine population is likely larger because the food supply is greater for the marine population than that of the land iguanas

- Evolution (natural selection), adaptive radiation

Explanation:

Evolutionary adaptation can be defined as the process of adjustment of organisms to particular environmental conditions in order to increase their chances of survival. Moreover, natural selection is the main mechanism by which organisms adapt to their environments. Adaptive radiation can be defined as the evolution of a specific taxonomic group (for example, a species o genus) into specialized organisms which are adapted to survive under particular environmental conditions. Adaptive radiation can lead to speciation by which populations evolve (change) to become distinct species.