Question
Active Reading Section: Applying Darwin’s Ideas Read the passage below. Then answer the questions that follow. The theory of evolution by natural selection can be summarized as follows: (1) Every population produces more offspring than can survive in an environment with limited resources, known as overproduction. (2) All populations show variation in traits, and much of this variation is inherited. (3) In a given environment, individuals with traits that make them better suited to survive long enough to reproduce leave more offspring than individuals without these traits. (4) Over time, inherited traits that improve the chances of survival and reproduction, called adaptations, become more common than other traits within a population. In other words, the population evolves. SKILL: READING EFFECTIVELY Read each question, and write your answer in the space provided. 1. What does the word overproduction refer to in the second sentence? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 2. Define the word adaptation. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 3. How does natural selection lead to the evolution of a population? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
Answers
GPT-4o mini
1. The word overproduction refers to the phenomenon where every population produces more offspring than can survive in an environment that has limited resources. This means that not all offspring will reach maturity or reproduce, leading to competition for survival among the individuals in the population.
2. An adaptation is a trait or characteristic that improves an organism's chances of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment. These traits are often inherited and become more common in a population over time as they enhance the ability of individuals to thrive and pass on their genetic material to the next generation.
3. Natural selection leads to the evolution of a population by favoring individuals with traits that are better suited for survival and reproduction in a particular environment. Those individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing their advantageous traits to their offspring. Over time, these inherited traits become more prevalent in the population, resulting in evolutionary changes as the population adapts to its environment.
2. An adaptation is a trait or characteristic that improves an organism's chances of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment. These traits are often inherited and become more common in a population over time as they enhance the ability of individuals to thrive and pass on their genetic material to the next generation.
3. Natural selection leads to the evolution of a population by favoring individuals with traits that are better suited for survival and reproduction in a particular environment. Those individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing their advantageous traits to their offspring. Over time, these inherited traits become more prevalent in the population, resulting in evolutionary changes as the population adapts to its environment.