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Process Skills Worksheet 14-1
Making Inferences about Causes
Inferences are conclusions or explanations that are based on facts rather than on direct observations.
When Charles Darwin traveled to the Galapagos Islands, he observed 14 distinct varieties of finches on.
the islands. Darwin also observed that each finch ate a different type of food and lived in a slightly
different habitat from the other finches. Darwin inferred that the finches all shared a common ancestor
but had developed different beak structures as a result of evolution.
n- illustrutiotis of four of the finches observed by Darwin. Answer the tfitfiriotis about the iHustrtitium.
the buck uf this page, if necessary.
Insect eater
Woodpecker finch
Fruit eater
Vegetarian tree finch
Cactus eater
Cactus ground finch
Seed eater
Large ground finch
I. I low do«.-s the beak shape of the woodpecker finch seem to be adapted to digging insects from the
woody parts of trees? •....
2. a. How does the beak shape of the vegetarian tree finch differ from that of the large ground finch?
b. Which finch, the vegetarian tree finch or the large ground finch, probably has a stronger beak?
Why?
3. Many cacti are covered with spinelike leaves that help to protect the plant from predators. How
might the long beak of the cactus ground finch- help this bird avoid being injured by the spiaes?
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Process Skill* Worksheet J 4-1
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