[Campbell Biology P.64] Which of the following statements about the Galápagos finches, as d... | Practice Question

Which of the following statements about the Galápagos finches, as described in the text, is true ?

  • A: They evolved on the South American mainland before migrating to the islands.
  • B: Their diversification was primarily driven by adaptations to different food sources on specific islands.
  • C: Darwin conducted DNA sequence comparisons during his 1835 visit to study their relationships.
  • D: They are examples of convergent evolution, where unrelated species adapt to similar niches.

Explanation

The text explicitly states: 'Over time, the Galápagos finches diversified from their ancestor as populations became adapted to different food sources on their particular islands.' This illustrates adaptive radiation, a form of divergent evolution driven by adaptation to different ecological niches food sources in this case .