Some weed species have developed the ability to resist pesticides. How does the theory of evolution by natural selection help to explain his ability?
a
The weeds chose pesticide-resistant variations because their survival depended on it.
b
Due to genetic variations, some weeds in the population had the ability to resist pesticides.
c
As the weeds evolved, natural selection resulted in an unfavorable variation in a population.
d
In any population of weeds, some weeds will naturally be immune to all kinds of pesticides.
b. Due to genetic variations, some weeds in the population had the ability to resist pesticides.
The theory of evolution by natural selection explains that within a population, there is genetic variation. In the case of pesticide resistance in weeds, some individuals may have had a genetic mutation that allowed them to resist the chemicals. When the pesticide was applied, these resistant individuals were able to survive and reproduce, passing on their resistant genes to future generations. Over time, the proportion of pesticide-resistant weeds in the population increased, demonstrating the process of natural selection favoring a specific trait that confers a survival advantage.