A Finch Population with Heritable Variation in Beak Size Arrives

question 5

Multiple Choice

A finch population with heritable variation in beak size arrives on an island where only large seeds are available as a food source. Describe the process of natural selection that would follow.

• A) Finches with smaller beaks would grow larger beaks so that they could eat the large seeds. All birds will reproduce and the frequency of large beaks within the population will increase.
• B) Finches with larger beaks will more easily eat the large seeds and are thus more likely to survive and produce offspring with similarly large beaks. The frequency of large beaks within the population will increase.
• C) All of the finches with small and medium beaks will soon die; all of the finches with large beaks will survive. The frequency of large beaks within the population will increase.
• D) Finches with smaller beaks would grow larger beaks so that they could eat the large seeds. Only these birds that grew larger beaks will reproduce and the frequency of large beaks within the population will increase.
• E) Finches with larger beaks will more easily eat the large seeds and not need to reproduce.

---

Definitions:

Tickets

Documents or electronic codes that grant the holder the right to enter an event, travel on a vehicle, or participate in an activity.

Economic Profits

Profits exceeding the opportunity costs of all resources used in production, including the cost of capital.

Marginal Analysis

The examination of the benefits and costs of choosing one more or one less unit of a good or service.

Implicit Costs

The opportunity costs of using resources owned by the firm for its own production instead of selling or renting them to others.