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- Dictionarynatural selection/ˌnatʃ(ə)rəl sɪˈlɛkʃn/
noun
- 1. the process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. The theory of its action was first fully expounded by Charles Darwin, and it is now regarded as be the main process that brings about evolution.
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Sep 25, 2024 · Natural selection is the process of adaptation to the environment by preserving and multiplying beneficial variations in the genotype. Learn how natural selection differs from other factors that affect gene frequencies, such as mutation, migration, and genetic drift.
- Group Selection
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- Gene Flow
Although gene flow does not change allele frequencies for a...
- Group Selection
Natural selection is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype. It is a key mechanism of evolution, the change in the heritable traits characteristic of a population over generations. Learn about its historical development, terminology, classification, impact, and applications.
- Natural Selection Explained
- Natural Selection Examples
- Principles of Natural Selection
- Types of Natural Selection
- History of Natural Selection
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Even if a parent were perfectly adapted to the environment, the environment will change, leaving the offspring maladapted to the environment. Because there are many animals and few resources, only the best and most fit organisms can reproduce.Natural selection works against all organisms, and it can be thought of as the environment and forces actin...
Example of Stabilizing Selection
For stabilizing selection, imagine a population of mice that lives in the woods. Some of the mice are black, some are white, and some are grey. If the mice had no predators, and no other forces acting on the color of their coat, it would have no reason to change and would only change randomly in response to certain mutations in the DNA. However, that is not the case with these mice. They have lots of predators. Foxes and house cats prey on the mice during the day. In the nighttime, the owls a...
Example of Directional Selection
It is important to consider different traits in the same population of animals. Imagine again the population of mice living in the woods. Instead of their color, consider a trait that runs on a continuous scale. Imagine that the mice vary in size from a normal sized mouse to something much larger than a rat. Although the mice are the same species, they grow into many different sizes. The predators, however, have a terrible time trying to catch and eat the largest of the mice. Not only do the...
Example of Diversifying Selection
Okay, last time with the mice. But this time, consider a new trait in the population. Let’s imagine that some of the mice begin to grow skin flaps between their front and back legs. Effectively, it makes a parachute that allows them to glide away from predators. Mice that fully have the skin flaps do really well and are almost always able to escape predators. Likewise, mice without the flaps avoid the trees and open spaces that mice with flaps venture into, and are much better at hiding from...
There is an incredible variety of selective forces in the natural world, ranging from interspecies competition, to predator-prey dynamics, to sexual selection between the different genders. The defining characteristic of natural selection is that it is a force that allows some organisms to reproduce more than others. Natural selection does not alwa...
As animals diversify and fill different niches, the pressures exerted on them can change in many ways. The functional requirements to be a bird are much different than those required to be a fish. Their food is different, the medium they exist in is different, and they must obtain oxygen in a different way. Natural selection thus selects for very d...
Before Darwin
In 1809, the world of biology was very different. This was the year Charles Darwin, the originator of the theory of natural selection, was born. Darwin was born into a world were transmutation was the dominant theory of evolution.According to this theory, animals changed throughout their lifetime, and they passed these changes on to their offspring. For example, giraffes got their long necks because every generation stretched as far as possible to reach the leaves. This theory did not sit wel...
Darwin’s Theory
In this idea, evolution was driven by four principles. Between individuals, the was variance. Organisms can only get traits via inheritance. A force, natural selection, let’s the fittest animals reproduce the most. Finally, these actions all take place over time, an important aspect of evolution. Together, these principles drive changes over time. However, Darwin did not publish these ideas immediately. He spent the next 20 years gathering more evidence and solidifying his argument. This proc...
Natural selection is a pressure that causes groups of organisms to change over time due to genetic variability and environmental factors. Learn about different types of natural selection, such as stabilizing, directional, diversifying, and sexual selection, with examples and diagrams.
Learn how natural selection is one of the basic mechanisms of evolution, along with mutation, migration, and genetic drift. See examples, misconceptions, and teaching resources about natural selection in beetles, bacteria, and more.
Oct 19, 2023 · Learn how natural selection is the process of adaptation and evolution through which species change over time. Explore the evidence, examples, and history of natural selection, and how it differs from artificial selection.
Natural selection is a process by which a species changes over time in response to changes in the environment, or competition between organisms, in order for...
Natural selection is a mechanism of evolution that favours organisms with adaptations that help them survive and reproduce. Learn how natural selection works, what are adaptations and exaptations, and how Darwin and Wallace developed the theory of evolution by natural selection.
