PART I - IN THE BEGINNING
1. How did the Galapagos Islands come into existence?
The Galapagos were a chain of islands created by what biologist believed to be hydro-thermal vents belching sulphurous gases.
2. Were plate tectonics involved?
Volcanic eruptions were caused by plate tectonic movement.
3. How old are the Galapagos Islands?
There around 5 million years old.
4. What kinds of animals and plants are endemic to the islands?
There are tortoise's, marine iguanas,white-tipped sharks, sting rays, Galapagos penguin, Cactus, and Finches
5. How do species become endemic?
Species are endemic if they develop in a unique location.
6. Where did the original colonists come from and how did they get to the Galapagos?
The colonists came sailing on boats from Europe.
7. What kind of special adaptations do the animals and plants have? How do adaptations evolve?
Finches had special beaks allowing them to eat different seeds from cactus. These adaptations were evolved from natural selection.
8. How did these islands figure into Darwin’s ideas on evolution?
The islands figure into his idea because since all the variety of islands had different environments, the organisms within that ecosystem adapted to different conditions.
PART II - DARWIN'S FINCHES
1. What is DNA finger printing and how is it done?
DNA fingerprinting is to be able identify specific individual and is done by taking samples of body tissues from the organism.
2. How can we measure evolution?
We can measure it as the ratio of dominant and recessive alleles.
3. What is the difference between natural selection and evolution?
Natural selection: Genes of a species best adapted to survive are passed on to next generation.
Evolution: When a species adaptations change over time.
4. What is genetic drift and how could it be involved in evolution?
Changes in frequency of gene in population. If the frequency level is high then the species will have a better chance of evolution.
5. What is resource partitioning and character displacement?
Resource partitioning is when two species share the same resources required and Character displacement is when the species resources overlap.
6. What is sexual selection?
This is when a species has a better chance of reproducing because they are better fit for mating.
7. How might one test if beak size is due to genetic or environmental factors?
This is most likely due due to a environmental factor because in order for that organism to survive in those conditions it must be able to adapt. To see if it were to be genetic, you could take its DNA to see the size of their beak.
8. If hybridization occurs during good times, what does this suggest about the degree of genetic differences between species?
This would show that the differences benefit in good times.
9. What are reproductive isolating mechanisms and how do they evolve?
It isolates the species from reproducing and evolves through the conditions of the environment.
10. Must populations of finches be separated in order to evolve into different species?
Populations of finches did need to evolve according to the environmental conditions, or because of the different foods they ate.
11. What causes an El Niño?
Strong winds being blown causes water to rise and as it goes down, it starts to get warmer due to water levels.
PART III - THE TORTOISE AND THE SEA CUCUMBER
1. Should Kate have chosen to work on a different species than the tortoises that are being threatened? Her thesis work might be destroyed by the politics of the islands.
I think that she should continue her work on the tortoises because for reasons to protect the island from a species being threatened.
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 gets the information needed, she can use that in order to help support the islands.
3. Should fishing, tourism, or inhabitants be allowed in the islands?
None of the following should be allowed because of the species being rare and endangered.
4. How should the Ecuadorian government deal with the conflicts over the islands?
They should show how the island is in need of help rather than givings hunters an opportunity to fish, due to the conditions.
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?
We should care whether if its a few species or an entire population because these events are used as high amounts of evidence that we can use as an example for how biodiversity works. In addition we support the idea that we are protecting our ecosystems from dying in order to at least help secure a balanced environment.
1. How did the Galapagos Islands come into existence?
The Galapagos were a chain of islands created by what biologist believed to be hydro-thermal vents belching sulphurous gases.
2. Were plate tectonics involved?
Volcanic eruptions were caused by plate tectonic movement.
3. How old are the Galapagos Islands?
There around 5 million years old.
4. What kinds of animals and plants are endemic to the islands?
There are tortoise's, marine iguanas,white-tipped sharks, sting rays, Galapagos penguin, Cactus, and Finches
5. How do species become endemic?
Species are endemic if they develop in a unique location.
6. Where did the original colonists come from and how did they get to the Galapagos?
The colonists came sailing on boats from Europe.
7. What kind of special adaptations do the animals and plants have? How do adaptations evolve?
Finches had special beaks allowing them to eat different seeds from cactus. These adaptations were evolved from natural selection.
8. How did these islands figure into Darwin’s ideas on evolution?
The islands figure into his idea because since all the variety of islands had different environments, the organisms within that ecosystem adapted to different conditions.
PART II - DARWIN'S FINCHES
1. What is DNA finger printing and how is it done?
DNA fingerprinting is to be able identify specific individual and is done by taking samples of body tissues from the organism.
2. How can we measure evolution?
We can measure it as the ratio of dominant and recessive alleles.
3. What is the difference between natural selection and evolution?
Natural selection: Genes of a species best adapted to survive are passed on to next generation.
Evolution: When a species adaptations change over time.
4. What is genetic drift and how could it be involved in evolution?
Changes in frequency of gene in population. If the frequency level is high then the species will have a better chance of evolution.
5. What is resource partitioning and character displacement?
Resource partitioning is when two species share the same resources required and Character displacement is when the species resources overlap.
6. What is sexual selection?
This is when a species has a better chance of reproducing because they are better fit for mating.
7. How might one test if beak size is due to genetic or environmental factors?
This is most likely due due to a environmental factor because in order for that organism to survive in those conditions it must be able to adapt. To see if it were to be genetic, you could take its DNA to see the size of their beak.
8. If hybridization occurs during good times, what does this suggest about the degree of genetic differences between species?
This would show that the differences benefit in good times.
9. What are reproductive isolating mechanisms and how do they evolve?
It isolates the species from reproducing and evolves through the conditions of the environment.
10. Must populations of finches be separated in order to evolve into different species?
Populations of finches did need to evolve according to the environmental conditions, or because of the different foods they ate.
11. What causes an El Niño?
Strong winds being blown causes water to rise and as it goes down, it starts to get warmer due to water levels.
PART III - THE TORTOISE AND THE SEA CUCUMBER
1. Should Kate have chosen to work on a different species than the tortoises that are being threatened? Her thesis work might be destroyed by the politics of the islands.
I think that she should continue her work on the tortoises because for reasons to protect the island from a species being threatened.
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 gets the information needed, she can use that in order to help support the islands.
3. Should fishing, tourism, or inhabitants be allowed in the islands?
None of the following should be allowed because of the species being rare and endangered.
4. How should the Ecuadorian government deal with the conflicts over the islands?
They should show how the island is in need of help rather than givings hunters an opportunity to fish, due to the conditions.
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?
We should care whether if its a few species or an entire population because these events are used as high amounts of evidence that we can use as an example for how biodiversity works. In addition we support the idea that we are protecting our ecosystems from dying in order to at least help secure a balanced environment.