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Natural selection acts upon the individual organism, whilst evolution occurs at the population level. The environment selects for organisms best adapted for highest survival and reproductive success. Natural selection requires three key things - variation, inheritable traits, and differential survival/reproduction.

Species will produce more offspring than the environment can support(carrying capacity), and the population tends to be fairly stable until resources are limited. A struggle for existence is created, and natural selection ensures that weaker traits die out while stronger traits live on. Organisms show variation in characteristics, and that variation is heritable. Survival depends on inherited traits, and unequal survival/reproduction leads to adaptation and evolution.

Therefore, while the individual organism can adapt, the population is what actually evolves.

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What is the smallest level of at which evolution occurs?

Evolution can occur at the level of populations rather than individuals. Changes in allele frequencies within a population over generations is the basis of evolution, and this can happen through mechanisms like natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow.


The smallest unit in which evolution occurs is?

The smallest unit in which evolution occurs is a population.


Does the process of evolution occur at the individual level, where selection happens to individuals, or at the population level, where selection happens to populations?

Evolution occurs at the population level, where selection happens to populations rather than individuals.


Why can't evolution cannot occur at the individuals level but must occur at the population level?

Evolution is a population-level process because it involves changes in the gene frequencies of a population over generations. Individual organisms do not evolve, as they do not pass on acquired traits to their offspring. Evolution occurs through mechanisms such as natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow that act on the variation within a population.


Does evolution occur at the level of the organisms?

No, organisms die.Evolution is the change in allele frequency over time in a population of organisms.


Lowest level at which evolution operates in the?

The lowest level at which evolution operates is the level of genes. Evolutionary changes occur through changes in the frequency of genes within a population over time, leading to variations in traits that can be inherited by offspring.


What is evolution on the smallest scale?

Evolution on the smallest scale refers to changes in the genetic composition of a population that occur over a short period of time, such as within a single generation. This can involve processes like genetic drift, gene flow, and natural selection acting on a small group of individuals.


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.


What is evolution in the smallest scale called?

Microevolution.


What is the smallest group of organisms in which evolution can take place?

The smallest group of organisms wherein evolution can take place is a population. This is because all methods of evolution require chromosomes from more than one organism.


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