Evolution by natural selection primarily occurs when there is variation in a population, as well as differential survival and reproduction based on that variation.
From the scenarios provided:
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Microorganisms reproduce asexually, producing identical offspring - This scenario does not typically allow for natural selection because the offspring are identical, and there is no variation for selection to act upon.
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Penguins reproduce sexually, producing offspring that look different from one another - This scenario presents variation among the offspring, which is a key component for natural selection. If some traits lead to better survival or reproductive success, those traits can be favored in the next generation.
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A banana tree branch is planted, producing a clone of the parent tree - Similar to the first scenario, cloning produces identical offspring with no variation, so natural selection would not take place.
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Corn is genetically modified and cloned to make identical crops - Like the first and third scenarios, this results in identical crops with no variation, limiting the potential for natural selection.
Based on these evaluations, the second scenario involving penguins reproducing sexually and producing different-looking offspring is the only one where evolution by natural selection could take place.
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