The most accurate statement among the given options regarding the relationship between changes in the environment and variations is:
- Changes in the environment can act only on existing variations in a population.
This means that environmental changes can select for certain traits that already exist within a population, thus influencing which individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce based on the existing variations in traits.
The other statements are not accurate representations of the relationship between environmental changes and variations:
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Changes in the environment cannot change which traits are advantageous.
- This is false because environmental changes can indeed alter which traits are considered advantageous for survival and reproduction.
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Changes in the environment cannot influence the fitness of an organism.
- This is also false; environmental changes can significantly impact the fitness of organisms by altering resource availability, predation pressures, and other ecological factors.
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Changes in the environment can only cause new variations to appear.
- This statement is misleading because while environmental changes can drive the need for new adaptations, they do not directly create new variations. Genetic mutations or recombinations can produce new traits, but these occur regardless of environmental changes. Environmental factors may select for or against these traits but do not create them.
In summary, only option 1 accurately reflects the dynamic between environmental changes and existing variations in populations.