Question
Question: What is biogeography? How do Darwin’s finches provide the bio geographical evidence in favour of evo...
What is biogeography? How do Darwin’s finches provide the bio geographical evidence in favour of evolution?
Solution
The evolution of species can be determined by the geographical distribution of organisms. The fossils provide evidence for the evolutionary changes of the present organism in relation with the past extinct organisms.
Complete answer:
Organisms vary in a regular trend along with the geographic gradients of latitudes, elevation, isolation and habitat. Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species in geographic location through a geological time. The short term interaction in an ecosystem describes the ecological application of biogeography. Biogeography is keenly observed in Islands which are much more manageable than the larger ecosystem.
Charles Darwin recognised the importance of this geographic location and put forward the theory of evolution. He described the mechanism through which the organism changes by putting forward his theory of natural selection and struggle for existence.
Darwin finches- Darwin finches are an example of adaptive radiation. Darwin studied the beaks of the birds in the Galapagos Island. He noticed the fruit eating finches had beaks like parrots and the finches which ate insects had narrow beaks and that the prey eating had pointed beaks. He concluded that the several birds from the same island are separated and have adapted according to the new geographical location.
Note: These finches' observations helped Darwin to propose the theory of Natural selection. The favourable adaptations were selected and passed on over generations. The birds were almost identical with the birds in the mainland but had different beaks.