Natural Selection

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What is Natural Selection?

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Natural Selection is the process by which organisms that are better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce more than those that are less well adapted.

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What does 'adaptation' mean in the context of Natural Selection?

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Adaptation refers to the process by which a species becomes better suited to its environment through the development of beneficial traits that enhance survival and reproduction.

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What is the role of mutations in evolution?

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Mutations introduce genetic variation within a population, which is essential for evolution as it provides the raw material for natural selection to act upon.

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Which organisms are most likely to survive in a changing environment?

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The organisms that are best adapted to the new conditions are most likely to survive.

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How do beneficial traits affect survival?

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Beneficial traits increase an organism's chances of survival and reproduction, allowing those traits to be passed on to future generations.

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What happens to a population when some individuals have a trait that allows them to exploit a resource?

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Over time, the population is likely to become more adapted to exploit that resource, as those individuals will survive and reproduce more.

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What is the significance of genetic variation in a population?

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Genetic variation is crucial for a population's ability to adapt to changing environments and to evolve over time.

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How does the environment influence natural selection?

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The environment determines which traits are advantageous, thus influencing which organisms survive and reproduce.

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What is an example of natural selection in action?

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The case of the peppered moth, where dark moths became more common in polluted areas because they were less visible to predators.

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What is the difference between individual adaptation and species adaptation?

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Individual adaptation refers to changes in an organism's lifetime, while species adaptation involves changes in the genetic makeup of a population over generations.