Explain the different ways natural selection can shape populations

Question 1

What is natural selection?

Answer 1

Natural selection is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Question 2

True or False: Natural selection can lead to changes in the traits of populations over time.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Fill in the blank: Natural selection can result in ________, which is the increase in frequency of advantageous traits in a population.

Answer 3

adaptation

Question 4

What are the three main types of natural selection?

Answer 4

Directional selection, stabilizing selection, and disruptive selection.

Question 5

Multiple Choice: Which type of natural selection favors the average phenotype?

Answer 5

Stabilizing selection

Question 6

What is directional selection?

Answer 6

Directional selection is a type of natural selection that favors one extreme phenotype over others, leading to a shift in the population’s trait distribution.

Question 7

True or False: Disruptive selection can lead to the formation of two distinct phenotypes within a population.

Answer 7

True

Question 8

What role does genetic variation play in natural selection?

Answer 8

Genetic variation provides the raw material for natural selection to act upon, enabling some individuals to survive and reproduce better than others.

Question 9

Fill in the blank: Natural selection operates on ________ traits that affect fitness.

Answer 9

heritable

Question 10

What is the outcome of natural selection over many generations?

Answer 10

The outcome of natural selection over many generations is evolutionary change, leading to populations that are better adapted to their environments.