Galapagos Islands- Case Study
Study Questions #1
1. How did the Galapagos Islands come into existence?
They were made from a hotspot in the ocean that regularly grew from magma.
2. Were plate tectonics involved?
No, they were not.
3. How old are the Galapagos Islands?
They are about 478 years old.
4. What kinds of animals and plants are endemic to the islands?
The famous ones are the giant tortoise, three types of iguanas, lava lizards, and snakes.
5. How do species become endemic?
A rough storm was able to flood them out of their homes and into the islands.
6. Where did the original colonists come from and how did they get to the Galapagos?
They came from a failed coup attempt on the mainland.
7. What kind of special adaptations do the animals and plants have? How do adaptations evolve?
Adaptations evolve naturally from natural selection. One adaptation is the tortoises to be able to eat or drink for a whole year.
8. How did these islands figure into Darwin’s ideas on evolution?
Due to each island being different, each island's animals had "special' adaptations.
1. How did the Galapagos Islands come into existence?
They were made from a hotspot in the ocean that regularly grew from magma.
2. Were plate tectonics involved?
No, they were not.
3. How old are the Galapagos Islands?
They are about 478 years old.
4. What kinds of animals and plants are endemic to the islands?
The famous ones are the giant tortoise, three types of iguanas, lava lizards, and snakes.
5. How do species become endemic?
A rough storm was able to flood them out of their homes and into the islands.
6. Where did the original colonists come from and how did they get to the Galapagos?
They came from a failed coup attempt on the mainland.
7. What kind of special adaptations do the animals and plants have? How do adaptations evolve?
Adaptations evolve naturally from natural selection. One adaptation is the tortoises to be able to eat or drink for a whole year.
8. How did these islands figure into Darwin’s ideas on evolution?
Due to each island being different, each island's animals had "special' adaptations.
Study Questions #2
1. What is DNA fingerprinting and how is it done?
This is an analysis to identify someone by sampling body tissues or fluids.
2. How can we measure evolution?
We measure it through the ratio of dominant and recessive alleles.
3. What is the difference between natural selection and evolution?
Natural selection leads to evolution. Nothing will evolve without natural selection.
4. What is genetic drift and how could it be involved in evolution?
Genetic drift is change or variation of the frequency of the allele. This is involved in evolution because if a gene changes, then the later generations will inherit it.
5. What is resource partitioning and character displacement?
Resource partitioning: when an organism puts a resource to a maximum use by sharing it
character displacement: when the needs of one species overlaps another's.
6. What is sexual selection?
When an organism chooses its mate based on characteristics that it prefers.
7. How might one test if beak size is due to genetic or environmental factors?
8. If hybridization occurs during good times, what does this suggest about the degree of genetic
differences between species?
Genetic differences will benefit more in good times.
9. What are reproductive isolating mechanisms and how do they evolve?
Reproductive isolating mechanisms are things that separate a species into two groups creating a barrier for breeding.
10. Must populations of finches be separated in order to evolve into different species?
Not really. They are able to make a hybrid species.
11. What causes an El Niño?
Winds blow east to west along the equator.
1. What is DNA fingerprinting and how is it done?
This is an analysis to identify someone by sampling body tissues or fluids.
2. How can we measure evolution?
We measure it through the ratio of dominant and recessive alleles.
3. What is the difference between natural selection and evolution?
Natural selection leads to evolution. Nothing will evolve without natural selection.
4. What is genetic drift and how could it be involved in evolution?
Genetic drift is change or variation of the frequency of the allele. This is involved in evolution because if a gene changes, then the later generations will inherit it.
5. What is resource partitioning and character displacement?
Resource partitioning: when an organism puts a resource to a maximum use by sharing it
character displacement: when the needs of one species overlaps another's.
6. What is sexual selection?
When an organism chooses its mate based on characteristics that it prefers.
7. How might one test if beak size is due to genetic or environmental factors?
8. If hybridization occurs during good times, what does this suggest about the degree of genetic
differences between species?
Genetic differences will benefit more in good times.
9. What are reproductive isolating mechanisms and how do they evolve?
Reproductive isolating mechanisms are things that separate a species into two groups creating a barrier for breeding.
10. Must populations of finches be separated in order to evolve into different species?
Not really. They are able to make a hybrid species.
11. What causes an El Niño?
Winds blow east to west along the equator.
Study Questions #3
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.
No, because of the rarity of the tortoises.
2. Should Kate get involved in the politics of saving the islands, the way Dian Fossey did in trying to save
the Mountain Gorilla?
Yes as the islands are home to many species.
3. Should fishing, tourism, or inhabitants be allowed in the islands?
They shouldn't be allowed due to many threatened species around there.
4. How should the Ecuadorian government deal with the conflicts over the islands?
They should check and have a limit on how much resources the people are able to get.
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 worry because many of these species could be keystone. If this species is extinct, then a whole chain of disasters could happen.
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.
No, because of the rarity of the tortoises.
2. Should Kate get involved in the politics of saving the islands, the way Dian Fossey did in trying to save
the Mountain Gorilla?
Yes as the islands are home to many species.
3. Should fishing, tourism, or inhabitants be allowed in the islands?
They shouldn't be allowed due to many threatened species around there.
4. How should the Ecuadorian government deal with the conflicts over the islands?
They should check and have a limit on how much resources the people are able to get.
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 worry because many of these species could be keystone. If this species is extinct, then a whole chain of disasters could happen.