These theories of Charles Darwin fully document and prove evolution. To an average person, Darwin’s theories would still be found true because of the detail in the proof and the simplicity of the ideas. Darwin most definitely is the "father of evolution" and it all began on a group of islands called the Galapagos.

 

References

Virtual Galapagos. (online) Available:

http://www.terraquest.com/galapagos February 10,1999.

Charles Darwin Research Station. (online) Available:

http://www.polaris.net/~jpinson/welcome./html. February 10,1999.

 

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Stephanie Votrian

Dr. Tietjen

February 15, 1999

Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands were first explored in1535 by accident. The Bishop of Panama and Fray Tomas de Berlanga were on an expedition to what is now Peru, when they were carried westward by ocean currents. In their report to Emperor Carlos V of Spain, he commented on the tameness of the birds and described the giant tortoises and iguanas. By 1570, the Galapagos Islands were on two maps, one by Abraham Ortelius and one by Mercator. The Islands were referred to as the "Encantadas" or "Bewitched Islands" because of the hard to navigate waters surrounding the islands.

Other early visitors include pirates that used the islands as a hideaway. Stolen items from raids on Spanish Ports are still being discovered. The pirates dined on the meat of the Giant Tortoises and cactus pads. In 1793 Captain James Colnett made the first accurate navigational map. He also introduced whaling to the area, eliminating several species of tortoises and endangering more. The Galapagos Islands would never recover from the damage done by the whalers’ logs. The Galapagos were named and annexed in 1832 by Ecuador. He islands were used as a penal settlement for political prisoners and prostitutes. Later, however, the islands’ reputation would change dramatically by the visit of Charles Darwin.

The HMS Beagle, captained by Robert Fitzroy, brought the most important visitor to the islands. Charles Darwin stayed only five weeks and only visited San Cristobal, Floreana, Isabela, and Santiago. However, he collected enough information in the form of plant species and observations of their natural history, to write a book entitled, Voyage of the Beagle. Darwin theorized about the origin of the many species of finches and, tortoises and iguanas. He thought it amazing that one specie could diversify so much by the different environments that it was adapted to. After his voyage to the Galapagos, he changed his career ambitions from the ministry to a life of research and study.

Evidence of variation of species due to ecological differences, made Darwin think about the possibility of evolution. He eventually published The Origin of Species, which led to an uprising of creationist re-thinking. Views of this sort were unheard of and not excepted well by the church or the general public. Later, problems developed when schools tried to teach evolutionary thinking by Darwin. People were not ready to change everything that they had ever believed because of a group of islands that Charles Darwin had explored.

The Galapagos Islands were named by the Bishop of Panama in 1535. The islands’ namesake has become the most famous inhabitant of the Galapagos Islands. Easily recognizable, the giant tortoise is the largest inhabitant of the islands. They have been in danger of becoming extinct ever since the uprising of the whaling era. Lately, great measurements have been taken to ensure the safety of the remaining 14 varieties.

Darwin believed that the giant tortoises were an important example in his theory of evolution. While there is only one specie of tortoises, there are 14 different varieties. Each variety has distinct differences in shell shape, corresponding to the different islands that they live on. For example, the tortoises native to Santa Cruz and the Alcedo Volcano on Isabela, have a domed shell. This characteristic makes it easier to feed on the lush vegetation that covers the island. The tortoises found on Espanola and Pinta Islands, have a saddle-back shell allowing their neck to reach the higher food on the drier islands. There are many different characteristics in the shells between these two extremes that make the tortoises easily matched to their native islands. The fact that each variety, as different as each one was, stemmed from the same specie was enough to start Darwin researching evolution among other species.

Another specie that Charles Darwin found especially interesting was the finch. Each different variety had adapted differently to each island. They were a prime example of "survival of the fittest." Only the birds that were best suited for their environment survived. The finches are a significant development in the theory of evolution. There are 13 different species of the finch of the genus Geospiza.

The Ground Finches are all similar in coloration, the adult males are black, and females are streaked brown. Their beaks are short and powerful and mostly used for crushing. The Sharp-beaked finch (Geospiza nebulosa) is believed to be the most closely related to the finches ancestor, unfortunately it is highly endangered. This finch likes to peck at the skin of dead animals until it reaches blood giving it its nickname, the "vampire finch." Other varieties of the Ground finch include the Small ground finch (G. fuliginosa), the Medium ground finch (G. fortis), and the Large ground finch (G. magnirostris).

The Cactus finch is a descendent from the ground finches. Adult male cactus finches are mostly black. They also have probing bills like the ground finches. Different varieties of the cactus finch include the Small cactus finch (G. scandens) and the Large cactus finch. Both finches get their names by feeding on the large prickly pear cactus and eating the small insects found on the fruit and the fruit itself. Similar to both the cactus finches and the tree finches is the Vegetarian finch (G. crassirostris), whose diet mainly consists of fruits and soft seeds.

The Tree finch feed primarily on insects. They are identified by their gray head and wings and white or streaked breasts. Their bill is smaller than that of the ground finches and is used more for grasping insects. Different varieties include the Small tree finch (G. parvula), the Large tree finch (R. psittacula) and the Medium tree finch (G. pauper).

Other finches include the most interesting finch, the Woodpecker finch G. pallida). The Woodpecker finch is one of the rare birds that uses "tools" to find or eat food. For example, the finch will pull of the spine of a cactus and use it to stab an insect of to pry it out of a hiding place. They are light colored with a narrow bill. The Warbler finch also falls into this category. This finch is known for its song. Darwin recorded this finch as having one of the prettiest songs of all the finches.

Darwin’s voyage to the Galapagos Islands set the wheels in motion for one of the most controversial theories ever. Despite the fight from the Creationists, the theory of evolution has only found more and more ways to be proven. If it had not been for Darwin this could have been a much more difficult task.