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Natural selection constantly causes change in populations by making them change over time, and occasionally split to form new species.

For example, if a population stays together, but their environment starts to change, then natural selection will pick the fittest organisms of that population to live and pass their traits on to their offspring, causing a gradual change in the genetic makeup of the entire population

Another example of natural selection on a population is speciation, or the formation of a new species. If the population is separated geographically, behaviorally, or temporally, the 2 sub groups can adapt to different climates and gradually become so different that they can't mate anymore, so they become 2 separate species.

add Natural selection may be seen in action today. The emergence of herbicide resistant plants and insecticide resistant populations of insects are well documented.

It must be said, that if the new threat (herbicide/insecticide) vanished, the population may well revert to the previous form. But if the new challenge remains significant, then it becomes dominant.

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Does natural selection require small population size?

No. Natural selection works in all populations. However, new alleles spread more slowly in large populations; the large size has a stabilizing effect. So one should expect large populations to change more slowly than smaller populations.


What are other evolutionary mechanisms besides natural selection?

Other evolutionary mechanisms besides natural selection include genetic drift, gene flow, mutation, and sexual selection. Genetic drift is the random change in allele frequencies in a population. Gene flow refers to the transfer of genes between populations. Mutation introduces new genetic variation, and sexual selection drives evolutionary change through mate choice and competition for mates.


What does the unit of evolution depend on?

The unit of evolution depends on the level at which genetic variation is passed on to the next generation. This can occur at the level of individuals, populations, or species. The unit of selection is the entity on which natural selection acts to drive evolutionary change.


Does Natural selection occur in opposition to evolution?

Some have thought so because natural selection was seen to reduce variation by culling unsuccessful phenotypes so that alleles did not change over time in populations. This is no longer thought as much as the rates of mutation are better understood and known to outpace natural selection and that adaptive change can accommodate more than one successful phenotype so that many allels can be fixed in populations gene pools.


What is the main mechanism in which populations change over time?

The main mechanism in which populations change over time is through natural selection. This process involves individuals with advantageous traits that help them survive and reproduce passing those traits on to their offspring, leading to an increase in the frequency of those traits in the population over generations.

Related Questions

Which of the following is the most powerful evolutionary force in large populations over time?

Only natural selection could be the answer here as natural selection is the main driver of adaptive change leading to evolutionary change and speciation in large populations.


Does natural selection require small population size?

No. Natural selection works in all populations. However, new alleles spread more slowly in large populations; the large size has a stabilizing effect. So one should expect large populations to change more slowly than smaller populations.


How does population change as a result of natural selection?

Natural selection is not a thing that acts on populations, it is a tendency for harmful genes to not be passed on (die out) and useful variations to thrive and become common.


What is natural selection and how does natural selection evolution?

A simplified explanation. Natural selection is the nonrandom survival and reproductive success of randomly varying organisms who by this reproductive success change the allele frequency over time in populations of organisms, which is evolution.


It makes them evolve into a way that is adequit for their environment?

Natural selection and it's ability to engender adaptive change in populations of organisms.


The change of Englands Biston betularia moth populations from light colored to dark colored is an example of?

natural selection!


How many parts does the process of natural selection have?

The process of natural selection has three main parts: variation, heredity, and differential reproductive success. These parts work together to drive evolutionary change in populations over time.


What did the framers of the modern synthesis not use in formulating this synthesis a. populations as unit of evolution b. rapid change was prevalent c. natural selection was not imp?

b. rapid change was prevalent.


What are other evolutionary mechanisms besides natural selection?

Other evolutionary mechanisms besides natural selection include genetic drift, gene flow, mutation, and sexual selection. Genetic drift is the random change in allele frequencies in a population. Gene flow refers to the transfer of genes between populations. Mutation introduces new genetic variation, and sexual selection drives evolutionary change through mate choice and competition for mates.


What does the unit of evolution depend on?

The unit of evolution depends on the level at which genetic variation is passed on to the next generation. This can occur at the level of individuals, populations, or species. The unit of selection is the entity on which natural selection acts to drive evolutionary change.


How does natural selection enable populations to grow?

The growth or shrinkage of populations has nothing to do with natural selection, but with the availability of resources, and the ability of organisms to utilize those resources. This is also known as 'carrying capacity'. The natural tendency is for organisms to produce more offspring than the environment can support. So if the environment supports more individuals, then the population will automatically grow. If conditions change and the environment supports less individuals, then some individuals will starve or be otherwise unable to reproduce. Natural selection, in this case, "determines" which individuals pass, and which do not.


Does Natural selection occur in opposition to evolution?

Some have thought so because natural selection was seen to reduce variation by culling unsuccessful phenotypes so that alleles did not change over time in populations. This is no longer thought as much as the rates of mutation are better understood and known to outpace natural selection and that adaptive change can accommodate more than one successful phenotype so that many allels can be fixed in populations gene pools.