Skip to content
Skip to main content

About this free course

Download this course

Share this free course

Introduction to ecosystems
Introduction to ecosystems

Start this free course now. Just create an account and sign in. Enrol and complete the course for a free statement of participation or digital badge if available.

3.1 Darwin’s arrival on the Galápagos Islands

Although it is possible to follow in Darwin’s footsteps, as Dr David Robinson demonstrates in this video, the habitat has changed substantially as a consequence of the introduction of alien animals in the past. There are very few of the larger islands where you can see ecosystems unaffected by alien introductions and thus see them as Darwin saw them.

Download this video clip.Video player: eco_1_openlearn_6_8_darwins_arrival_on_the_galapagos_islands.mp4
Copy this transcript to the clipboard
Print this transcript
Show transcript|Hide transcript
 
Interactive feature not available in single page view (see it in standard view).

The finches that Darwin brought back from the Galápagos hold a special place in the history of the development of the theory of evolution by means of natural selection. There are 13 species and they occupy different niches in the habitats on the islands.

Download this video clip.Video player: eco_1_openlearn_6_9_finches_on_the_galapagos.mp4
Copy this transcript to the clipboard
Print this transcript
Show transcript|Hide transcript
 
Interactive feature not available in single page view (see it in standard view).