From a study of soapberry bugs (Jadera haematoloma), a similar theme emerges that reflects the process of natural selection that Charles Darwin observed in the Galapagos finches. In order for soapberry bugs to feed, their "beak" length must match the depth of seeds in the balloon vine fruit. In central Florida, the native balloon vine has become rare and the Goldenrain tree, an introduced species from Asia, has become the main food source for soapberry bugs. Carroll and Boyd (1992) compared beak lengths of soapberry bug populations that fed on the native balloon vine in southern Florida with central Florida populations that fed on the Goldenrain tree, whose seeds are much closer to the fruit surface than the seeds of the plump balloon vine fruit. The researchers compared these data with the average beak length in museum specimens collected from the two areas before the Goldenrain tree was introduced (indicated by the red arrows). What you can conclude from results of this study?

Question

Biology

Allisson Kelley

28 September, 14:03

From a study of soapberry bugs (Jadera haematoloma), a similar theme emerges that reflects the process of natural selection that Charles Darwin observed in the Galapagos finches. In order for soapberry bugs to feed, their "beak" length must match the depth of seeds in the balloon vine fruit. In central Florida, the native balloon vine has become rare and the Goldenrain tree, an introduced species from Asia, has become the main food source for soapberry bugs. Carroll and Boyd (1992) compared beak lengths of soapberry bug populations that fed on the native balloon vine in southern Florida with central Florida populations that fed on the Goldenrain tree, whose seeds are much closer to the fruit surface than the seeds of the plump balloon vine fruit. The researchers compared these data with the average beak length in museum specimens collected from the two areas before the Goldenrain tree was introduced (indicated by the red arrows). What you can conclude from results of this study?

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Franco Cooke · Answer 1

Based on the study of soapberry bugs and based on the conditions in which studies have been done, it can be concluded that the Soapberry bugs with shorter beaks had a selective advantage in Central Florida because they were better able to feed on Goldenrain fruits.