However, the Galapagos finches helped Darwin solidify his idea of natural selection. The favorable adaptations of Darwin's Finches' beaks were selected for over generations until they all branched out to make new species. These birds, although nearly identical in all other ways to mainland finches, had different beaks.
Darwin's finches from the Galápagos archipelago have historic importance in the field of evolutionary biology as they provided some of the fundamental insights into processes of natural selection and adaptive radiation.
The Galapagos Islands are home to both sea and land birds, many of which are endemic to the islands, including the famed Darwin's finches. These birds played a key role in Charles Darwin's research on the theory of evolution.
Each one was suited to the availability of particular foodstuffs. Eventually Darwin theorized that different species of finch had evolved on different islands, their distinctive beaks being an adaptation to distinct natural habitats or environmental niches.
On the Galápagos, finches evolved based on different food sources — long, pointed beaks served well for snatching insects while broad, blunt beaks work best for cracking seeds and nuts.
Darwin's finches are particularly suitable for asking evolutionary questions about adaptation and the multiplication of species: how these processes happen and how to interpret them. All species of Darwin's finches are closely related, having derived recently (in geological terms) from a common ancestor.
Darwin hypothesized that the Galapagos finches he observed had descended from a common ancestor. What did Darwin note about the finches' appearances? He noted that several finch species have beaks of very different sizes and shapes. Each species uses its beak like a specialized tool to pick up and handle its food.
Why are Darwin's finches considered good examples of natural selection? They are found on every continent. They embody the idea of descent with modification. They did not differ between populations.
So, the correct option is 'Biogeography'.
Figure 18.1C. 1: Darwin's Finches: Darwin observed that beak shape varies among finch species. He postulated that the beak of an ancestral species had adapted over time to equip the finches to acquire different food sources.