Abstract Abstract: As reflected in the title of his masterwork On the Origin of Species, Darwin proposed that adaptation is the primary mechanism of speciation. On this, Darwin was criticized for his neglect of reproductive isolation, his lack of appreciation for the role of geographic barriers, his failure to distinguish varieties from species, and his typological species concept. Two developments since Darwin, the biological species concept of Ernst Mayr and the methods of Coyne and Orr for estimating the contribution of different barriers to the total reproductive isolation, provide a framework for reconciling Darwin’s view on the primacy of adaptation in speciation with later proposals that emphasize reproductive isolation. A review of the few studies that have estimated the contributions of multiple isolating barriers suggests that habitat isolation and other barriers that operate before hybrid formation are much stronger than intrinsic postzygotic isolation. In light of these data, I suggest that Darwin’s focus on adaptation in the origin of species was essentially correct, a conclusion that calls for future studies that explore the links between adaptation and speciation, in particular, ecogeographic isolating barriers that result from adaptive divergence in habitat use. The recent revival in thinking about ecological factors and adaptive divergence in the origin of species echoes Darwin’s much‐criticized “principle of divergence” and suggests that the emerging views from today’s naturalists are not so different from those espoused by Darwin some 150 years ago. Show
Journal Information Current issues are now on the Chicago Journals website. Read the latest issue.Since its inception in 1867, The American Naturalist has maintained its position as one of the world"s premier peer-reviewed publications in ecology, evolution, and behavior research. Its goals are to publish articles that are of broad interest to the readership, pose new and significant problems, introduce novel subjects, develop conceptual unification, and change the way people think. AmNat emphasizes sophisticated methodologies and innovative theoretical syntheses—all in an effort to advance the knowledge of organic evolution and other broad biological principles. Publisher Information Since its origins in 1890 as one of the three main divisions of the University of Chicago, The University of Chicago Press has embraced as its mission the obligation to disseminate scholarship of the highest standard and to publish serious works that promote education, foster public understanding, and enrich cultural life. Today, the Journals Division publishes more than 70 journals and hardcover serials, in a wide range of academic disciplines, including the social sciences, the humanities, education, the biological and medical sciences, and the physical sciences. Rights & Usage This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. Darwin’s finches are a classic example of how evolution happens through natural selection. We will discuss Darwin’s observations on the Galapagos finches and how they helped inform the theory of evolution by natural selection. Voyage of the Beagle to the Galapagos IslandsFrom 1831-to 1836, Charles Darwin embarked on a voyage on the H.M.S Beagle. Their mission: survey the South American coastline. Although he was hired as a geologist, Darwin spent a lot of time observing and collecting animals, plants, and fossils. After five years of the voyage, the Beagle stopped over at the Galapagos Islands, a group of volcanic islands 900 km west of South America. The Galapagos Islands are home to diverse, endemic animal life, including blue-footed boobies, giant land tortoises, and the Galapagos finches. His observations during his visit to the Galapagos Islands would later become the foundation for his theory of evolution by natural selection. Darwin’s Finches and Their BeaksWhile in the Galapagos Islands, Darwin noticed that organisms were similar from island to island but had certain features that distinguished them from each other. Finches, in particular, caught Darwin’s attention. He found that over a dozen species of finches inhabited the islands. While the finches were similar in size and color, Darwin observed that their beak shapes varied. Darwin attributed the unique beak shapes to the food sources available in their specific environment. Their distinct shapes gave them a higher chance of survival. Some finches had broad, blunt beaks, which helped them crack nuts and seeds. Other finches had long, pointed beaks, which helped them snatch insects (Fig. 1). Darwin's Finches: a DiagramFig. 1 - A diagram comparing the beaks of four species of Galapagos finch Traits and behaviors that help organisms survive and reproduce are called adaptations. Darwin noted that the finches’ beak shapes were adaptations that helped them obtain food in their habitat. By explaining how these unique finch species came to be, Darwin was able to formulate his theory of evolution by natural selection. Darwin's Finches: a Short ActivityHere's a short activity you can do to understand how different beak shapes are adapted to collect specific food types. You will need the following materials:
Methodology:
Answer the following questions:
Darwin's Finches and His Theory of Evolution by Natural SelectionDarwin theorized that all of the different finch species on the Galapagos Islands came from one parent species (a common ancestor) that first colonized the islands millions of years ago. Darwin explained that, as populations of the parent species spread from one uninhabited island to the next, they adapted to different ecological niches and rapidly evolved into many descendant species. How Does Natural Selection Cause Evolution?In any habitat, resources are limited, so organisms have to compete to survive. Organisms with better-suited traits have a higher chance of survival. For example, there is an area in the Galapagos Islands where cactuses are the most viable food source. What beak shape do you think would be more favorable for the survival of finches in this area: broad, blunt beaks or long, pointed beaks? Finches with long, pointed beaks have a higher chance of survival because their beaks allow them to probe the cactus flowers and fruits without being pricked by cactus spines. Because they have a higher chance of survival, organisms with favorable traits can also reproduce and pass on these traits. Darwin called this the process of natural selection, which is more popularly known as "the survival of the fittest.” Natural selection is the process where organisms with better traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits. This means that organisms with favorable traits will outnumber those with less favorable traits in the succeeding generation. Over time, species with better adaptations to their habitat are formed. This is how natural selection leads to evolution. Evolution is the gradual and cumulative change in heritable traits of a population of organisms. This change takes place over the course of several generations. Speciation is the process where a new species is formed in the course of evolution. What Accounts for the Many Different Species of Galapagos Finch?The number of different species of finches in the Galapagos presents an interesting case because speciation tends to produce one new species from a parent species over a long period. In the case of the Galapagos finches, they underwent a burst of evolution, producing a large number of different descendant species in a relatively short time. This is a type of speciation called adaptive radiation. Adaptive radiation is the process by which a single species rapidly evolves into many species adapted to different ecological niches or the role that a species plays in a habitat. To illustrate how adaptive radiation might have taken place:
This explains how over a dozen different finch species evolved from one parent species in a relatively short time in the Galapagos Islands (Fig. 2). Fig. 2 - A diagram showing how a parent species of finch rapidly formed several new species of finch with different beak shapes and feeding habits Significance of Darwin's FinchesDarwin's discovery that different species of Galapagos finch had unique beak shapes adapted to the food sources available in their specific habitats led to the idea that life forms are not perfect and unchanging. Instead, they were changing over time in response to their environment. Such changes manifest in observable traits, such as the beak shapes of Galapagos finches. He argued that traits change in a population because individuals that inherit traits that are better adapted to the environment have better chances of survival and reproduction; thus, these traits have better representation in succeeding generations. These insights became the foundation for Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. Another key insight that Darwin had drawn from his observations is the process of adaptive radiation. Morphological similarities among the species of Galapagos finches led him to believe that they all descended from a common ancestor but rapidly diversified and speciated because each population adapted to a different ecological niche. Darwin's Finches - Key takeaways
How did one ancestral population give rise to many different species?Over time, these advantageous traits become more common in the population. Through this process of natural selection, favorable traits are transmitted through generations. Natural selection can lead to speciation, where one species gives rise to a new and distinctly different species.
How did one ancestral finch population give rise to 13 species?As different populations of finches occupied these niches, they evolved adaptations that enabled them to survive in the different habitats. Thus, in a relatively short period of time, many different species of finches evolved from a single ancestral population, a process called adaptive radiation.
How did the Galapagos finches become different species from a common ancestor?Darwin's finches are a classical example of an adaptive radiation. Their common ancestor arrived on the Galapagos about two million years ago. During the time that has passed the Darwin's finches have evolved into 15 recognized species differing in body size, beak shape, song and feeding behaviour.
Why many different finch species originated from the single ancestral species?Which of the following statements best explains the claim that different finch species originated from a single ancestral species? The finch populations exhibited different desirable traits as a result of adapting to different environmental pressures.
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