Question
What is selective pressure? Give one example. write it humanly and keep it simple
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GPT-4o mini
Selective pressure refers to environmental factors that influence which individuals in a population are more likely to survive and reproduce. Essentially, it "selects" certain traits that help organisms adapt to their surroundings.
For example, consider a population of insects living in a green forest. If a new bird species starts eating insects that are easier to see—like those that are bright-colored—the insects that are more camouflaged (duller-colored) are less likely to be eaten. Over time, the dull-colored insects are more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to a population that has more camouflaged insects. In this case, the presence of the birds creates a selective pressure that favors traits like camouflage.
For example, consider a population of insects living in a green forest. If a new bird species starts eating insects that are easier to see—like those that are bright-colored—the insects that are more camouflaged (duller-colored) are less likely to be eaten. Over time, the dull-colored insects are more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to a population that has more camouflaged insects. In this case, the presence of the birds creates a selective pressure that favors traits like camouflage.
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