galapagos islands

33 islands, isla isabela, isla fernandina, santa cruz

green warbler finch (certhidea olivacea)

vulnerable. though to be the same species as the grey warbler finch

grey warbler finch (certhidea fusca)

least concern. smaller drier islands.

mangrove finch (geospiza pallida)

vulnerable. use of tools. can use twig, stick, or cactus spine to dislodge invertebrates from trees.

large tree finch (geospiza psittacula)

vulnerable. large, powerful bill with a thick base and is found on a number of the islands.

medium tree finch (geospiza pauper)

critically endangered. in highlands of floreana.

small tree finch (geospiza pavula)

least concern. small and distinctive short, curved beaks to feed on insects

Large ground finch (geospiza magnirostris)

least concern. largest of darwin;s finches both in size and beak size. large, short beaks for cracking large seed and nuts.

Medium ground finch (geospiza fortis)

least concern. number of the islands and fee mainly on seeds

Small ground finch (geospiza fuliginosa)

least concern. most common species of finch, found throughout the islands.

large cactus finch (geospiza conirostris)

least concern. most variable of finches in appearance and feed on a range of foods including Opuntia cacti

common cactus finch (geospiza scandens)

least concern feed mostly on Opuntia cacti, pollen and nectar. Sometimes on the seeds and fruit, range of vegetative foods and invertebrates

sharp-beaked cactus finch (geospiza difficilis)

least concern. mostly feed on seeds, those found in small islands drink the blood of large seabirtds such as boobies. Alternative name of "vampire finch"

Darwin's finches feed on

cactus flowers, use twigs as tools to pry insects from bark, eat eggs and leaves, drink blood, and feed on ticks

severe drought resulted in

only harder, woody seeds available to birds (larger-beaked birds favored)

natural selection is variable over time and can result in

rapid evolutionary change

mutation to Mc2r produce

dark pigmentation

Agouti interfered with Mc1r and indicated

the light coat evolved independently

snowshoe hare (lepus americanus)

for camouflage, fur turns white during winter and rusty brown during summer

more than one agent of selection can

act on a trait (drive selection in two different directions at the same time)

both predators and parasitoids feed on

prey (parasitoids feed on living tissue and predator kill its prey before consuming)

extended phenotype

structure constructed by an organism that can influence its performance or success

gall fly include plants to produce

galls, an extended phenotype (for food source and protection for eggs)

populations that independently experience parallel environmental changes represent

replicated natural experiments

natural experiment is an

empirical study in individuals are exposed to experimental and control conditions that are determined by nature or by other factors outside the control of the investigators

three-spined stickleback (gasterosteus aculeatus) is a scientific study for:

great morphological variation, anadromous (live in seawater but breed in freshwater) very tolerant of salinity changes, social and breeding behavior, antipredator adaptations. easy to find in nature and to keep in aquaria

ectodysplasin (Eda) signaling involved

in production of variable lateral plates in stickleback. QTL mapping has determines that Eda causes variation.

shift in dorsal spine length recorded in

fossil record, nevada dating back 10mya preserved 100k years of stickleback changes, new gradually lost their armor due to relaxed predation pressure

low-Eda allele favored in

freshwater populations, production of armor is energetically costly

humans are agents of

selection

scientists use genetic tools to

understand steps toward domestication (Teosinte grows multiple stals and long branches, maize grows only a single stalk)

IGF1 gene contributed to

small body size

HAS2 gene is associated with

skin wrinkling

RSPO2 is associated with

wiry hair and moustaches

FGF5

long/short fur

KRT71

curly/straight hair

pesticides and herbicides acts as

agents of selection

resistance to pesticides in

Danish houseflies

weeds quickly evolve resistance to

herbicides

alterations in EPSPS enzyme leads to

roundup resistance, a single amino acid change in EPSPS leads to roundup resistance

creation of refuges (Bt toxin free) can

slow the evolution of resistance

introduced cane toads have led to

evolution of black snake populations

evolution of shorter male horns due to

huntings

cod fishing influenced life history:

cod now breed earlier and at a smaller size than before (age of sexual maturity)

the speed of evolution depends on

amount of genetic variation and strength of selection (leads to rapid resistance in pest populations)