Darwin & the Galapagos Islands

Add these titles to your maps! Darwin’s Voyage on “The Beagle,” 1831-1836 Then take notes about each topic in the correct section of your worksheet!

Galapagos Islands On the equator about 500 miles from the coast of South America Protected as a National Park of Ecuador A group of volcanic islands (an archipelago) that are relatively young Habitat for many endemic species (found nowhere else on the planet) Many Galapagos species are similar to species on the S. American mainland, but differences suggest they changed from their mainland relatives after they reached the Galapagos (arrival by flight? swimming? “rafting” on logs? carried by storms & currents?) Many Galapagos species are unique to their own island, but other islands have similar species – related, but changed Famous for Darwin’s visit, but he spent much more time in S. America

“Lonesome George,” the last of his subspecies, died in 2012. Galapagos Tortoises Huge! (kids can ride ‘em!) Every island has its own species Each species is adapted to the environment on its island Example: long-necker above lives on a dry island where it must stretch to get food, short-neckie to right lives on moist island, no stretch required!

Found only on Galap. – but the mainland has the related land iguana! Marine Iguanas

Darwin’s Finches All related, but all have special adaptations to unique feeding habits

Flightless Cormorants?! Penguins at the Equator?!

Darwin’s Voyage on the H.M.S. Beagle, 1831-1836 Studying to become a priest when offered the chance to take a job as the ship’s naturalist. Several years spent exploring and mapping South America, collecting samples of rocks, birds, plants, fossils, insects, and more that were sent to English museums. About two weeks spent at the Galapagos Islands, but they had a big influence on his growing ideas about the ability of species to change.

“On the Origin of Species” Darwin’s book, “On the Origin of Species” Spent about twenty years after his trip around the world analyzing his collections, gathering data from other sources, reading reports from other scientists, compiling evidence of change, conducting experiments, formulating his ideas, and writing his most important book. His major contribution was explaining HOW species change by the process of natural selection. Before he published his book, a younger scientist (Alfred Russell Wallace) also realized natural selection was the best explanation of evolution. Wallace communicated with Darwin and they agreed to publish their ideas together – which gave Darwin (the senior scientist) most of the credit for the idea.