Study Confirms Ecological Speciation in Darwin's Finches

Experimental evidence shows how environmental changes drive the evolution of new finch species through song alteration.

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst have demonstrated a link between environmental changes and the emergence of new finch species.
The study, published in Science, used computer simulations to model how beak changes during droughts affect finch songs, impacting species recognition.
As finch beaks evolve to crush harder seeds during droughts, their songs become slower and less complex, hindering mate attraction.
The research suggests that after six consecutive drought events, finches may not respond to altered songs, potentially leading to speciation.
This experimental confirmation of ecological speciation provides new insights into how extreme environmental events can drive the formation of new species.