Cuyamaca College The Beak of The Flinch Discussion

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Zran44

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Cuyamaca College

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Explanation & Answer

Attached.

Running head: THE BEAK OF THE FLINCH
The Beak of The Flinch: Group questions

Name

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Date

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THE BEAK OF THE FLINCH

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The Beak of The Flinch: Group Questions

1. What is the most likely explanation for the presence of 13 different finch species on the
Galápagos Islands today?
The most likely explanation is that many years ago a single mainland flinch species migrated to
the islands and with time food scarcity and availability led to the evolution of different species in
a bid for adaptation and survival.
2. Different finch species have beaks of different shapes and sizes. These different beaks
structures are evidence of what?
The different beak shapes and sizes are evidence of the flinch species adapting to different
environments and climatic changes. The different sizes of seeds available in different
environments lead to adaptation as different species strive to survive.
3. Examine the phylogenetic tree of the 13 finch species below. Which of the following
statements are a correct interpretation of the phylogenetic tree in the illustration?
C. All the Galápagos finches are more closely related to one another than they are to mainland
finch species.
4. Which experimental data from the film provide the best evidence that the cactus finch
and the medium ground finch on Daphne Major are distinct species?
From the film, it is clear that the medium ground flinch and the cactus flinch will only mate with
their female species and completely ignore different species, therefore, preserving the uniqueness
of the various species.
5. How did the Grants test their hypothesis that differences in birds’ songs can keep finches
from breeding with members of other species? Explain the evidence presented in the film.

THE BEAK OF THE FLINCH
The Grants played the songs of the cactus flinch and the medium flinch via a loudspeaker at
varying periods, when individuals from both species were in the vicinity and observed which
species would respond to each song played. They observed that the cactus male flinch and the
medium ground male flinch would only respond to their specific species songs and completely
ignore the other species songs. This characteristic preserves the distinct species during mating.
6. Propose a hypothesis to explain the observation above:
Symmetry is important for balance during flight and takeoff. Therefore, the birds with
symmetrical wings could easily fly to find food and shelter as opposed to the ones with
asymmetrical wings. Besides, the birds with the asymmetrical wings would have to use more
energy to maneuver around. This means that the birds with asymmetrical wings we...


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