QQuestionBiology
QuestionBiology
Which of the following best describes natural selection?
A. When a small sample of a population leaves and establishes a new population.
B. When traits are determined by multiple genes and environmental factors and cannot be predicted using Punnett squares.
C. The process by which organisms are separated by chance events, such as natural disasters, causing the frequency of the population to change.
D. The process by which organisms that are better adapted to the environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.
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Answer
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Step 1: Begin by understanding the concept of natural selection.
Natural selection is a key mechanism of evolution, where organisms with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on these traits to their offspring.
Step 2: Examine the given options and compare them with the concept of natural selection.
Option A describes the process of genetic drift, where a small sample of a population leaves and establishes a new population, leading to changes in allele frequencies due to random sampling. This is different from natural selection, which depends on the survival and reproduction of better-adapted organisms. Option B refers to epistasis, where the expression of one gene is influenced by one or more other genes, and environmental factors. This concept is not directly related to natural selection. Option C describes the process of genetic drift again, but this time due to natural disasters. While this can cause changes in allele frequencies, it is not the same as natural selection, which involves the survival and reproduction of better-adapted organisms.
Final Answer
The process by which organisms that are better adapted to the environment tend to survive and produce more offspring (Option D) is the best description of natural selection.
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