1. How did the Galapagos Islands come into existence? The rifts had hydro-thermal vents that belched sulfurous gases. Scientists believe it was the site of the origin of life.
2. Were plate tectonics involved? No plate tectonics were involved.
3. How old are the Galapagos Islands ? They are 478 years old.
4. What kinds of animals and plants endemic to the island? Variety of tortoise, the marine iguana and prickly-pear cactus, white-tipped sharks, Galapagos penguin and masked boobies are endemic to the islands
5. How do species become endemic?Species become endemic if they are unique to one defined geographic location.
6. Where did the original colonists come from and how did they get to the Galapagos?Original colonists came from Europe, they got to Galapagos by sailing.
7. What kind of special adaptations do the animals and plants have? How do adaptations evolve?The Finch were adapted to eat different types of food. Adaptations evolve based on natural selection.
8. How did these islands figure into Darwin’s ideas on evolution? The islands figure into Darwin's ideas, because he thought each island had different environmental conditions, leading to different adaptations on each island.
2. Were plate tectonics involved? No plate tectonics were involved.
3. How old are the Galapagos Islands ? They are 478 years old.
4. What kinds of animals and plants endemic to the island? Variety of tortoise, the marine iguana and prickly-pear cactus, white-tipped sharks, Galapagos penguin and masked boobies are endemic to the islands
5. How do species become endemic?Species become endemic if they are unique to one defined geographic location.
6. Where did the original colonists come from and how did they get to the Galapagos?Original colonists came from Europe, they got to Galapagos by sailing.
7. What kind of special adaptations do the animals and plants have? How do adaptations evolve?The Finch were adapted to eat different types of food. Adaptations evolve based on natural selection.
8. How did these islands figure into Darwin’s ideas on evolution? The islands figure into Darwin's ideas, because he thought each island had different environmental conditions, leading to different adaptations on each island.
1. What is DNA fingerprinting and how is it done?DNA fingerprinting is used to identify the individual. It is done by taking samples of body tissues or fluids of the individual.
2. How can we measure evolution?Measuring how the seeds of plants vary in their hardness.
3. What is the difference between natural selection and evolution?Evolution is a change in an adaptation over time. Natural selection is the process in which the organism that is best adapted will live.
4. What is genetic drift and how could it be involved in evolution?Genetic drift is the change in frequency of a gene, it can be involved in evolution because with the frequency being high, the organism will have a higher chance to evolve with that gene.
5. What is resource partitioning and character displacement?Resource partitioning is when two species share a resource they both need. Character displacement is when species distribution overlaps.
6. What is sexual selection? Is the process when one species out-reproduces other species, because they are better fit for mating.
7. How might one test if beak size is due to genetic or environmental factors?Change the factor in that area, and measure the beaks over time to see if it is environmental. To see if it's genetic, take their DNA and find a gene that determines the size of the beak.
8. If hybridization occurs during good times, what does this suggest about the degree of genetic differences between species?
It shows that these genetic differences are more beneficial in good times.
9. What are reproductive isolating mechanisms and how do they evolve?Isolating mechanisms are characteristics that prevent them from reproducing. It evolves through the conditions of the environment.
10. Must populations of finches be separated in order to evolve into different species?No, finches don't need to be separated. They can create a hybrid species.
11. What causes an El Niño? When wind blows water which piles up. The wind will become weaker, which makes not as much cold water to pile up, leading to warming of water.
2. How can we measure evolution?Measuring how the seeds of plants vary in their hardness.
3. What is the difference between natural selection and evolution?Evolution is a change in an adaptation over time. Natural selection is the process in which the organism that is best adapted will live.
4. What is genetic drift and how could it be involved in evolution?Genetic drift is the change in frequency of a gene, it can be involved in evolution because with the frequency being high, the organism will have a higher chance to evolve with that gene.
5. What is resource partitioning and character displacement?Resource partitioning is when two species share a resource they both need. Character displacement is when species distribution overlaps.
6. What is sexual selection? Is the process when one species out-reproduces other species, because they are better fit for mating.
7. How might one test if beak size is due to genetic or environmental factors?Change the factor in that area, and measure the beaks over time to see if it is environmental. To see if it's genetic, take their DNA and find a gene that determines the size of the beak.
8. If hybridization occurs during good times, what does this suggest about the degree of genetic differences between species?
It shows that these genetic differences are more beneficial in good times.
9. What are reproductive isolating mechanisms and how do they evolve?Isolating mechanisms are characteristics that prevent them from reproducing. It evolves through the conditions of the environment.
10. Must populations of finches be separated in order to evolve into different species?No, finches don't need to be separated. They can create a hybrid species.
11. What causes an El Niño? When wind blows water which piles up. The wind will become weaker, which makes not as much cold water to pile up, leading to warming of water.
1. Should Kate have chosen to work on a different species than the tortoises that are being threatened? Kate should stay on the species of the tortoises, because they are really rare animals in the Galapagos.Her thesis work might be destroyed by the politics of the islands.
2. Should Kate get involved in the politics of saving the islands, the way Dian Fossey did in trying to save the Mountain Gorilla?If Kate really wanted to save the islands, I think she should get involved in politics.
3. Should fishing, tourism, or inhabitants be allowed in the islands?Fishing, tourism and inhabitants shouldn't be allowed, because there are a lot of endemic species that shouldn't go to extinction.
4. How should the Ecuadorian government deal with the conflicts over the islands?Promise the people a fishing season and limit amount of fish caught, but make it shorter and have police or a force to check how many fish they've caught.
5. Extinction is a natural phenomenon. Why should we worry about whether a few species on some remote islands in the Pacific survive or not?These species are unique to these islands, with the extinction of these species the island people won't be able to see them anymore.
2. Should Kate get involved in the politics of saving the islands, the way Dian Fossey did in trying to save the Mountain Gorilla?If Kate really wanted to save the islands, I think she should get involved in politics.
3. Should fishing, tourism, or inhabitants be allowed in the islands?Fishing, tourism and inhabitants shouldn't be allowed, because there are a lot of endemic species that shouldn't go to extinction.
4. How should the Ecuadorian government deal with the conflicts over the islands?Promise the people a fishing season and limit amount of fish caught, but make it shorter and have police or a force to check how many fish they've caught.
5. Extinction is a natural phenomenon. Why should we worry about whether a few species on some remote islands in the Pacific survive or not?These species are unique to these islands, with the extinction of these species the island people won't be able to see them anymore.