GED Science TestLife ScienceEasy
A biologist is studying a population of deer in a newly introduced habitat. Over several generations, she observes that deer with longer legs are better able to outrun predators and access higher vegetation, leading to increased survival and reproduction rates for these individuals. This phenomenon is an example of:
- AMutation
- BGenetic drift
- CNatural selection
- DGene flow
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Natural selection
Natural selection is the process where individuals with traits better suited to their environment (like longer legs for outrunning predators and reaching food) are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those advantageous traits to their offspring. This leads to an increase in the frequency of those traits over generations.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Mutation is the source of new genetic variation, but it does not explain the differential survival and reproduction based on existing traits.
- B. Genetic drift is random fluctuation in allele frequencies, not driven by advantageous traits.
- D. Gene flow is the movement of genes between populations, not the mechanism for increasing advantageous traits within a population.
Natural Selection
The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring, leading to evolutionary change.
- Requires heritable variation within a population.
- Involves differential survival and reproduction.
- Leads to increased frequency of advantageous traits.
- Is a primary mechanism of evolution.
Memory trick: Evolution's Engine: Natural selection drives adaptation.