Question

The image describes four finch species that live in an isolated ecosystem. A disease is introduced into the ecosystem that kills all of the cactus plants. Which of the following BEST predicts the effects on the finches? A. The vegetarian finches and warbler finches will be affected because they will lose some of their food sources, but they will survive because their diet includes a variety of foods. The large ground finches will not be affected because their food sources are not affected. The cactus finches will not survive because they will lose their only food sources. B. The warbler finches will be affected because they will lose some of their food sources, but they will survive because their diet includes a variety of foods. The cactus finches will not be affected because their food sources are not affected. The vegetarian finches and the large ground finches will not survive because they will lose their only food sources. C. The large ground finches and vegetarian finches will be affected because they will lose some of the their food sources, but they will survive because their diet includes a variety of foods. The warbler finches will not be affected because their food sources are not affected. The cactus finches will not survive because they will lose their only food sources. D . The cactus finches will be affected because they will lose some of their food sources, but they will survive because their diet includes a variety of foods. The large ground finches and the vegetarian finches will not be affected because their food sources are not affected. The warbler finches will not survive because they will lose their only food sources.

Answer 1

The BEST option that predicts the effects on the finches given the scenario of cactus plant extinction is **A**.

Here's the reasoning:
- The cactus finches are specialized feeders and rely solely on cactus plants for food, so they will likely not survive without their primary food source.
- The vegetarian finches and warbler finches have a more varied diet and may lose some food sources, but they can adapt by finding other food sources, indicating they will survive.
- The large ground finches are described as not being affected since their food sources are not reliant on the cactus plants.

Thus, option A accurately reflects these predictions about the finches' survival based on their dietary needs and adaptability.