explaining how natural selection leads to predominance and suppression of traits in a population

Answer 1

Natural selection is the process by which organisms with traits that are best suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those advantageous traits on to their offspring. Over time, this selective pressure can lead to the predominance of certain traits within a population, as individuals with these traits have a higher likelihood of leaving offspring.

Conversely, traits that are not well suited to the environment may decrease in frequency or become suppressed within the population. This is because individuals with these traits are less likely to survive and reproduce, resulting in a reduction in the frequency of these less advantageous traits in the population over time.

In this way, natural selection acts as a mechanism for shaping the characteristics of a population by favoring traits that increase an individual's chances of survival and reproduction, while suppressing traits that are less beneficial in a given environment. This process can lead to the adaptation of populations to their specific environments and the development of new traits that improve an organism's fitness and ability to thrive in its surroundings.