In seed-eating finches in the Galapagos Islands, birds with large beaks are adapted to eat seeds with hard shells,
while birds with small beaks are adapted to eat seeds with soft shells.
If all the seeds in the Galapagos Islands were to develop softer shells as a result of long-term changes in the Earth's
climate, which of the following would be the MOST likely effect on the seed-eating finches?
Elimination Tool
Select one answer
A
Birds with large beaks would develop even larger beaks, while birds with small beaks would develop
even smaller beaks over many generations.
B.
Average beak size in the finches will decrease over many generations.
С
Birds with large beaks would develop smaller beaks, while birds with small beaks would develop
larger beaks over many generations.
D
No selection would operate because the finch populations on the Galapagos Islands meet all the
criteria for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.

The answer could be D because birds with larger beaks should be capable of eating soft shell seeds, as well as hard shell seeds. So natural selection would not occur because the finches with large beaks would not die as a result of not eating soft shell seeds. The finches with large beaks should be able to reproduce offspring with the same trait. And so should the finches with small beaks.