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Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements is NOT consistent with Darwin's theory of natural selection?
A
Individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.
B
Acquired characteristics during an organism's lifetime can be inherited by offspring.
C
More offspring are produced than can survive, leading to competition.
D
There is variation among individuals in a population.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Begin by understanding Darwin's theory of natural selection. It is based on the idea that individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits to their offspring. This process leads to adaptation over generations.
Step 2: Review the concept of acquired characteristics. Acquired traits are changes or adaptations that occur during an organism's lifetime due to environmental influences or behaviors. Darwin's theory does not support the inheritance of acquired traits; this idea is associated with Lamarck's theory of evolution.
Step 3: Analyze the statement 'Individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.' This aligns with Darwin's theory, as advantageous traits increase an organism's fitness in its environment.
Step 4: Examine the statement 'More offspring are produced than can survive, leading to competition.' This is consistent with Darwin's theory, as overproduction of offspring creates a struggle for survival, driving natural selection.
Step 5: Evaluate the statement 'There is variation among individuals in a population.' This is also consistent with Darwin's theory, as variation provides the raw material for natural selection to act upon. The statement about acquired characteristics being inherited is the one that contradicts Darwin's theory.