If a finch population with heritable,variable beak size and shape arrived on an island on which only large seeds were available as a source of food,describe the natural selection process that would follow.
A) Finches with smaller beaks would grow larger beaks so that they could eat the large seeds. All birds will reproduce and the frequency of large beaks within the population will increase.
B) Finches with larger beaks will more easily eat the large seeds and thus more likely survive and produce offspring with similarly large beaks. The frequency of large beaks within the population will increase.
C) All of the finches with small and medium beaks will soon die; all of the finches with large beaks will survive. The frequency of large beaks within the population will increase.
D) Finches with smaller beaks would grow larger beaks so that they could eat the large seeds. Only these birds that grew larger beaks will reproduce and the frequency of large beaks within the population will increase.
E) Finches with larger beaks will more easily eat the large seeds and not need to reproduce.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In this situation, natural selection would favor the finches with larger beaks, as they would more easily be able to consume the large seeds that are the only available food source on the island. The finches with smaller beaks would likely struggle to feed and therefore have a lower chance of survival and reproductive success. Over time, the frequency of larger beaks within the population would increase as they would have a selective advantage. Option A and D suggest that all finches would grow larger beaks, which is not necessarily the case, as the selection pressure would only be on those with smaller beaks. Option C suggests a scenario where all but one trait is selected for, which is unlikely in a complex system such as natural selection. Option E suggests that finches with larger beaks would not need to reproduce, which is not accurate, as reproductive success is crucial for passing on advantageous traits to future generations.

If a Finch Population with Heritable,variable Beak Size and Shape