What evolves during natural selection?(1 point)
Responses
the phenotypes of individual organisms
the phenotypes of individual organisms
entire species
entire species
the proportion of different traits in a population
the proportion of different traits in a population
inactivated genes
the phenotypes of individual organisms and the proportion of different traits in a population evolve during natural selection.
The correct answer is the "the proportion of different traits in a population."
When we talk about natural selection, we are referring to the process by which certain traits become more or less common in a population over time. This occurs through differential reproduction, where individuals with favorable traits have a higher chance of surviving and passing on their genes to the next generation.
To understand why the proportion of different traits in a population evolves during natural selection, we need to consider the basic principles involved. In any population, you will find individuals with a range of different traits or variations, whether it's height, color, speed, or any other characteristic. Some of these traits may provide an advantage, making those individuals more likely to survive and reproduce.
Over time, as these advantageous traits are passed on to successive generations, the proportion of individuals with those traits increases. On the other hand, individuals with less advantageous traits are less likely to survive and reproduce, leading to a decrease in the proportion of those traits within the population. This leads to the evolutionary change in the proportion of traits and the adaptation of populations to their environments.
It's important to note that natural selection acts on the traits or phenotypes of individual organisms, not on entire species. Species can evolve over time, but it's the changes in traits within a population that drive the evolutionary process.
As for inactivated genes, they do not directly evolve during natural selection. Natural selection acts on existing traits that are expressed in an organism's phenotype, while inactivated genes are not actively contributing to an individual's traits. However, mutations in genes can occur, including the inactivation of genes, which can have an impact on natural selection by either reducing or eliminating certain traits from a population over time.
In natural selection, the following entities evolve:
- The phenotypes of individual organisms.
- Entire species.
- The proportion of different traits in a population.