WETLAND, FOREST & OTHER BIOMES

BIOMES: "A major community of living or-
ganisms; a complex of climax communities
of plants and animals in a major region."
"A major life zone, biotic formation."
"A major ecological community type."

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS EVOLUTION
Surveys animal and bird life, evolution, and influence on Darwin's theories. Includes details of finch evolution. 3 programs. 55 slides and extensive texts.
EP #110X SLIDES
$99.95

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SAVE OVER $20.00 ON 3 SLIDE SET BUNDLE ORDER EP #110X.............$99.95
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ECOLOGY AND ANIMALS OF THE GALAPAGOS Order #110........$42.50

Known to every student of biology as the inspiration for Darwin's theory, and
increasingly popular with adventure-minded tourists, the Galapagos Islands remain today
much as they were when Darwin first saw them. Currently a nature preserve and
research center, their exotic animal life is now protected. This program presents the
factors that made the islands an evolutionary laboratory--variations in climate and
geography, the giant tortoises, iguanas, lizards, insects, birds, sea lions and plants. 20
slides and detailed guide.

CONTENT SAMPLE: 17367 The marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is the only
lizard adapted to live by the sea and be at home in the surf. There are distinct races, ranging from
the inky black on Narborough (seen here) to the rather colorful variety on Hood. Presumably
descended from some type of continental American land iguana, they probably reached the
islands clinging to flotsam, able to survive because they could tolerate immersion in salt water
and long periods of complete starvation. The marine iguana is huge, three to four feet long with
the length evenly divided between body and tail.

Gigantism in island creatures, when compared to mainland relatives, is thought to result
from an abundant food supply and little competition. In this case there is abundant food and no
competition whatsoever.

The marine iguana is a stout animal with strong limbs, a dragon like head and horny
scales along its spine. Its feet have five toes and strong claws to clutch the rocks in the strong
surf. Its snout is blunt and foreshortened, enabling it to scrape algae from the rocks. Its tail is
flattened on the sides and serves as both a propulsion force and rudder in the water. Though a
good swimmer, it only takes to the water to feed. It has the habit of squirting water to spit and
snort out surplus salt.

During the breeding season males occupy individual small territories in which they live
with several females. Their defense is first a matter of display, then a fight by pushing with their
armored heads. Finally the victor responds to a submission gesture by allowing the loser to
escape. As is the case with most territorial struggles among animals, the battle is more like a
tournament or ritual than a battle to the death. Almost always the intruder loses and neither
animal is seriously injured.
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BIRDS OF THE GALAPAGOS Order #425........$42.50

Presents the unique bird life of these "enchanted isles." Details the evolutionary
pressures that led to speciation, and describes the significance of these birds to the
development of Darwin's theory. Species covered include Darwin's finch; mockingbird;
waved albatross; frigate bird; blue-footed, red-footed and masked boobies; forked-tail and
lava gulls; brown pelican; green heron and great blue heron. Nesting, displays and
chicks are presented. 20 slides and detailed guide.

CONTENT SAMPLE: 17640 This nondescript little brown bird is a representative of
what has been called "one of the most famous groups of birds in the whole of the history of
biology." It is one of a group of Galapagos birds, now known as Darwin's finches, that provided
the famous naturalist with many of the clues that led him to formulate his theory of evolution.

There are 13 recognized species of Darwin's finches and a number of subspecies
exhibiting minor variations. They are thought to be descended from South American finchs that
colonized the islands when there were few if any competing land birds. At that time many of the
ecological niches ordinarily occupied by other kinds of birds were still vacant and available to
newcomers. It was inevitable, in the absence of competition, that finches would move into these
niches and exploit them.

While all the finches are very similar in basic structure and clearly are related, they differ
in the size and shape of their beaks. In doing his comparisons Darwin realized that these
differences were not accidental, but served to make the bird a more efficient food gatherer in its
particular niche.

He reasoned that as random variations developed in the course of generations, those
variations that made an individual bird a more efficient food gatherer and enhanced its survival
would be passed on to greater numbers offspring. Those that did not increase survival would be
passed on to fewer and fewer offspring. Thus the population would change and evolve in the
newer, more adaptive direction.

In this evolutionary process, some of the finches have become quite unfinchlike in their
behavior. While some are typical ground feeders who eat seeds primarily, like other finches,
others have taken on the characteristic of such birds as parrots, warblers and woodpeckers.
Instead of being exclusively seed eaters, some eat insects, flower blossoms, cactus pulp and
fruit. There is even a tool making and using finch and one group that seeks out blood.
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DARWIN'S FINCHES Order #SS-0445S .........$34.95

An evolutionary classic. A critical look at the Galapagos Islands' unique finches
and the mechanisms of their speciation. Detailed artwork. 15 slides and text. (Filmstrip
#SS-0445F.........$15.00.)

CONTENT SAMPLE: 3. Eventually, as biological adaptations offer increasingly better
advantages, a niche may be “taken over” in its entirety. Hence, the presence of well-adapted
species in an area may actually preclude that area's colonization by other species. Those
invaders may be similar to the endemic species (for examples another species of Darwin's
finch) or a completely foreign species (such as some “new” arrival from the South American
coast). The ultimate result of such definite natural selection is speciation, the evolution of
reproductively isolated (usually geographically isolated as well) species. The mechanism of
speciation we have been underscoring is adaptive radiation, whereby organisms move (or are
forced to move) from their points of origin, and become successively more unlike their
predecessors as they become adapted to hitherto foreign environments.

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EVOLUTION OF THE HONEY CREEPERS:
A STUDY OF ADAPTIVE RADIATION Order SS-0440S.......$34.95

The concept of environmental impact on the spatial proliferation of a species is explored.
An evolutionary classic. 15 frames and guide. (Filmstrip order SS-0440F...........$15.00.)

CONTENT SAMPLE: 1. The oceanic archipelago of Hawaii is of undisputed biological
interest, much of which is concerned with its abundant endemic fauna. The "oceanic island"
status, however, dictates significant limits for the animal immigrants: Each must arrive by air or
sea. With the exceptions of introduced species, then, Hawaii’s faunal complement is restricted
mostly to aerial animals such as birds and insects. A full 85% of the insect species are endemic,
as are most of their predators, the birds. The extreme variety of avian species on Hawaii is not
merely the result of several fortuitous bird landings. In many cases the variety of exquisitely
adapted birds is the result of adaptive radiation and speciation of one or a few ancestral species.
The implication here is that new arrivals find unoccupied ecological niches, and through processes
such as natural selection become specifically adapted to these niches.
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~0202-031~ Galapagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus). photo by Annette Kynaston.

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