Question

Why did the Grants extract blood from the finches?

A. To analyze genetic variations and relatedness among different finch populations.
B. To study the impact of environmental changes on the finches' physiology and health.
C. To examine the immune system and disease resistance of the finches.
D. To measure hormone levels and reproductive patterns in response to changing conditions.

Answer 1

The Grants extracted blood from finches to study genetic variations and relatedness, linking this to environmental changes that contribute to natural selection and evolution of beak sizes in Galápagos finches.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Grants, Peter and Rosemary Grant, collected blood from finches in the Galápagos to analyze genetic variations and relatedness among different finch populations. By studying these variations, they demonstrated how environmental changes such as drought and fluctuations in food supply impact natural selection and lead to evolution in beak sizes of the Galápagos finches. Their comprehensive research beginning in 1976, especially their observations of medium ground finches on the island of Daphne Major, revealed that the finch's beak shapes changed from one generation to the next, influenced by the availability of food sources and leading to evolution by natural selection.