Biology homeworkPart A: Darwin's finches1. Aspects of Evolution Involved in Darwin's FinchesWhen Charles Darwin first landed on the Galapagos Islands in September 1835, it was the beginning of the greatest biological discovery of all time; the five weeks he spent on those islands were perhaps one of science's greatest achievements, even if he didn't know it at the time. Among myriad other discoveries, he observed and collected the many varieties of small birds that inhabited the islands, but he did not realize their significance at the time and unfortunately did not keep good records of his specimens and where specifically they were collected . It was only when he returned to England, reflecting on the birds, that he realized that they were all different species of finches, but although closely related, this was one of the decisive studies that led him towards the formulation of the principles of natural science. selection. In Darwin's memoirs, The Voyage of the Beagle, Darwin noted, amazed at the depth of speciation in the Galapagos Islands, "One might indeed imagine that, from an original scarcity of birds in this archipelago, a species had been taken and modified for different purposes."(1) Indeed, the Galapagos had been a living laboratory where speciation could be seen in action for a long time. A couple of million years ago, a species of finch had migrated to the rocky Galapagos from mainland South America. From the origin of a migratory species many other species of finches would derive; at least 13 finch species evolved from a single ancestor species. The process in which a species develops into multiple species that exploit separate niches is called adaptive radiation. The ecological...... middle of paper ......y to gain ground on rabbits that have good resistance to the virus, this could be increased by linking the mortality rate of the level I strain with the addition of the viral virus longevity of level III or IV strains in order to increase viral spread. The myxoma virus, once thought of as simple, is now known for what it truly is; a complex and unique virus with the ability to not only bring down parasite populations but also a future medical career where it has the potential to save thousands of lives, its successful domestication is still reaping enormous rewards for humanity and will continue. With the introduction of genetic engineering it may still have the potential to help eradicate the wild rabbit population and support Australian agriculture, we have only just scratched the surface of this extraordinary virus and what is the great terror of rabbits could now be the great hope of humanity.