Question
Biologists sometimes say that "natural selection depends on the specific environment where a species lives." What does this statement mean?
a. If populations of a species are in different environments, traits that
individuals need to meet their needs in each environment will appear. b. Traits can be helpful or harmful. If populations of a species are in different environments, some traits that are helpful in one environment might be harmful in another environment.
c. Traits are always either helpful or harmful, and the environment of a population doesn't matter. If populations of a species are in different environments, the same traits will always be helpful.
d. Species were formed to perfectly match their environment. The traits of individuals in a species depend on the specific environment in which they were created.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct interpretation of the statement "natural selection depends on the specific environment where a species lives" is:
**b. Traits can be helpful or harmful. If populations of a species are in different environments, some traits that are helpful in one environment might be harmful in another environment.**
This statement captures the essence of how natural selection operates, emphasizing that the advantages or disadvantages of certain traits are context-dependent, based on the specific challenges and conditions of an environment.
**b. Traits can be helpful or harmful. If populations of a species are in different environments, some traits that are helpful in one environment might be harmful in another environment.**
This statement captures the essence of how natural selection operates, emphasizing that the advantages or disadvantages of certain traits are context-dependent, based on the specific challenges and conditions of an environment.