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Multiple Choice
How can changes to an organism's physical environment lead to evolutionary change through natural selection?
A
By selecting for traits that enhance survival and reproduction in the new environment
B
By eliminating all genetic variation within the population
C
By causing mutations that directly alter the organism's DNA
D
By increasing the organism's lifespan without affecting reproduction
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of natural selection: Natural selection is a process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. This is a key mechanism of evolution.
Identify how environmental changes can affect organisms: Changes in an organism's physical environment can create new challenges or opportunities for survival and reproduction.
Recognize the role of traits in survival: Traits that enhance an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in the new environment are more likely to be passed on to the next generation.
Consider the impact on genetic variation: While natural selection acts on existing genetic variation, it does not eliminate all genetic variation. Instead, it can lead to an increase in the frequency of advantageous traits.
Evaluate the role of mutations: Mutations can introduce new genetic variations, but they are not directly caused by environmental changes. Instead, they occur randomly and may be selected for if they provide a survival advantage in the new environment.