4. The medium ground finch and the cactus finch are adapted to consume different types of foods. Can you think of a situation in which the medium ground finches would have a survival advantage over the cactus finches? A disadvantage?

Large beak size of medium ground finch assists in aiding advantage to survival and reproduction as compared to cactus finch.

Explanation:

The medium ground finch will take the advantage of its peak size and structure over the cactus finch for both its survival and reproduction.

Unlike the cactus finch, the medium finch have large beaks due to which they take advantage of alternate food sources such as large seeds, hard seeds etc.

Beak size also plays an essential role in attracting males with large beak size and hence medium ground finch reproduce easily and frequently as compared to cactus finch

Long beaks of medium ground finches allows them to opt for alternate sources of food in times of extremities while this is not the case with the cactus finches.

Explanation:

The medium ground finches have larger beaks and thus apart from small seeds they can also break open the large seed. In case if the small seeds get scarce, a medium ground finch can still survive by taking advantage of feeding on alternate source of food but small beaked birds such as cactus finches shall die out of starvation.

This adaptation of medium ground finches gives it a survival advantage over the cactus finches