NATURAL SELECTION

NATURAL SELECTION
How are organisms so well suited to their environments?

NATURAL SELECTION
Natural selection affects
populations
In population, some traits are passed
down from parent to child
(Heredity)
Genetic Variation: different
individuals have different heritable
traits

LIMITING FACTORS

Too many organisms - not

enough resources
Not all organisms survive and
have children

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

Organisms with helpful traits
(Adaptations) will survive and
have more children
Those children tend to inherit the
helpful traits
Organisms without these traits
will die early - no children

EXAMPLE: FOX VS. RABBIT

EXAMPLE: CAMOUFLAGE

DOG BREEDS: ARTIFICIAL

SELECTION

NATURAL SELECTION
Causes the frequency of a trait in a
population to change
Uses traits and variation that are
already in the population
New variation: created by random
mutations

MYTHS - INDIVIDUALS CAN EVOLVE

Organisms cant evolve just
by trying
You cant change your
genes!
Natural selection works on
populations, not
individuals

MYTHS - ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE

Natural selection does
not give organisms
what they want or
need
Natural selection can
only occur using traits
that already exist

MYTHS - SURVIVAL IS ENOUGH

Survival of the fittest

should be Reproduction of
the fittest
Living a long time is not an
advantage, unless you have
lots of children

MYTHS - SURVIVAL OF THE

STRONGEST

Fittest does not mean biggest and strongest

Organisms need to fit well in their environment

MYTHS - BAD TRAITS DISAPPEAR

Unfavorable traits will not necessarily disappear

Even fatal traits can remain in the population if they are
recessive

EQUILIBRIUM
Perfect adaptation = no natural selection (equilibrium)
Population is not changing

DISEQUILIBRIUM
Natural selection occurs when:
Environment changes:
Climate
Predation
Competition
This is called selection pressure