Question

Birds such as darwin's finches are adapted to occupy highly specific niches (their role in an environment). would this adaptation make it easy or difficult for such birds to adapt to environmental change? why or why not?

Answer 1

Animals that are adapted to a highly specific niche will struggle to adapt to a changing environment. This is because they are adapted in form and behavior to a very specific set of conditions, and any change in the environment may result in these conditions changing. Think for example of the beaks of Darwin's finches. If a species of finch has evolved a thicker stronger beak to break open seeds, but a changing climate results in the plant dying out, these finches might struggle to adapt to new food sources.