During drought years on the Galapagos islands, small, easily eaten seeds become rare, leaving mostly large, hard-cased seeds that only birds with large beaks can eat. If a drought persists for several years, what should one expect to result from natural selection

Biology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)
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Author:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillan
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Chapter21: Microevolution: Genetic Changes Within Populations
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Problem 1ITD: Peter and Rosemary Grant of Princeton University have studied the ecology and evolution of finches...
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During drought years on the Galapagos islands, small, easily eaten seeds become rare, leaving mostly large, hard-cased seeds that only birds with large beaks can eat. If a drought persists for several years, what should one expect to result from natural selection? 

   

small birds gaining larger beaks by exercising their mouth parts 

   

small birds anticipating the long drought and eating more to gain weight and, consequently, growing larger beaks

   

More small beaked birds dying than larger beaked birds. The offspring produced in subsequent generations have a higher percentage of birds with large beaks. 

   

larger birds eating less so smaller birds can survive

   

small birds mutating their beak genes with the result that later generation offspring have larger beaks

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