Natural Selection

Natural Selection

What is it?

Natural selection is a process in which organisms that are best suited to survive in their environment pass their good genetic traits to their offspring. While the organisms that are least suited to their environment and cannot adapt(The adjustment or changes in behavior, physiology, and structure of an organisms to become more suited in the environment they live in) well fail to survive and reproduce at a lower rate or are eliminated from the environment completely (Become Extinct)

Factors of Natural Selection

-Variation among individuals in a population.

-Traits get passed down.

-The size of a population increases.

-Struggle for survival among individuals in a population.

-Some individuals survive and reproduce better than others.

-Difference in traits passed down.

Questions frequently asked about Natural Selection.

Does natural selection lead to new species? 

The answer would be sometimes but not always. The reason being is that natural selection is only the process of adaptations within a species. In certain circumstances it is possible though like the ancestral primate lineage splitting into two different species; chimpanzee and the hominid line. 

What would be an example of natural selection at work in the recent past?

Out of the many examples, one example is the apple maggot fly. 100 years ago the maggot fly started to become a pest for the apple orchards in New York State and New England. Originally the maggot fly only fed on hawthorn fruits but then adapted to feeding on apples and now is a serious threat to the apple industry.

Can natural selection select for future needs of a species? 

No, natural selection cannot select certain genes for future needs of a species. Adaptations in a slow process in general that takes time. The genes for the next generation cannot see into the future on how to prevent an impending extinction of guard against the possibility. What individual adaptation that gives them superiority can be fatal to them tomorrow. It all depends on circumstances.

Reflection

When researching natural selection I learned a lot about what it actually is. I learned a cool fact that genes while they can be superior for the time being the superior gene can also be lethal to a species given their environment changes. I liked researching Natural Selection because it's pretty straight to the point and easy to understand. 

Citations;

https://quizlet.com/42511679/6-factors-of-natural-selection-flash-cards/

http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Adaptation

http://www.actionbioscience.org/evolution/futuyma.html