A scientist noted that, over a period of 10 years, a Florida beetle species gradually become resistant to an insecticide. Which statement best explains this is terms of natural selection?
1 point
The insecticide mutated the beetles exposed to the biggest doses.
Some beetles used the insecticide as a source of food.
Beetles learned to avoid the spray and passed this knowledge of their offspring.
Those beetles with the natural resistance to the insecticide had the most offspring.
The statement "Those beetles with the natural resistance to the insecticide had the most offspring" best explains this in terms of natural selection.
The statement that best explains the beetle species becoming resistant to the insecticide in terms of natural selection is: "Those beetles with the natural resistance to the insecticide had the most offspring."
The best statement that explains the scenario in terms of natural selection is: "Those beetles with the natural resistance to the insecticide had the most offspring."
Explanation:
Natural selection is the process by which certain traits become more or less common in a population over time based on their effect on an organism's chances of survival and reproduction. In this scenario, the natural resistance of the beetles to the insecticide allowed them to survive and reproduce successfully.
To arrive at this answer, the scientist likely observed the population of beetles over a period of time and noticed that the beetles that were resistant to the insecticide had a higher chance of survival. These resistant beetles would be more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on their resistant traits to the next generation. Over time, the resistance trait would become more prevalent in the beetle population.
It's important to note that the other three statements do not align with the concept of natural selection:
1. "The insecticide mutated the beetles exposed to the biggest doses" is not an accurate explanation because mutations occur randomly, and it is unlikely that the insecticide itself caused mutations specifically in the beetles exposed to the largest amounts.
2. "Some beetles used the insecticide as a source of food" is not applicable here as the beetles would not use the insecticide as a food source, but rather their resistance to it allowed them to survive in the presence of the insecticide.
3. "Beetles learned to avoid the spray and passed this knowledge to their offspring" suggests a form of learned behavior, which is not a mechanism of inheritance. Natural selection acts on inherited traits, and learned behavior is not genetically passed on to offspring.