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Related Concept Videos

What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

107.3K
Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
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Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

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Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
37.5K
Frequency-dependent Selection01:21

Frequency-dependent Selection

20.2K
When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.
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Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

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Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
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Natural Selection and Adaptation01:15

Natural Selection and Adaptation

1.8K
Natural selection, a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, is the mechanism by which evolution is driven, favoring organisms that are best adapted to their environments. This process enhances their chances of survival and reproduction. Adaptation, a key outcome of this process, involves genetic modifications that optimize an organism's functionality under specific environmental challenges, such as extreme cold or thinner air at high altitudes.
Beyond physical adaptations,...
1.8K
Natural Selection and Mating Preferences01:06

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

881
The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
Females, due to their biological roles in conception, pregnancy, and nursing,...
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Probing the Limits of Egg Recognition Using Egg Rejection Experiments Along Phenotypic Gradients
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Natural selection 150 years on.

Mark Pagel1

  • 1School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AJ, UK. m.pagel@reading.ac.uk

Nature
|February 13, 2009
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The theory of evolution by natural selection explains how species adapt and survive. It now faces new challenges in understanding the evolution of complex systems like human society.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Sociology

Background:

  • The theory of evolution by natural selection has been a cornerstone of biology for 150 years.
  • It successfully explains species adaptation and survival in competitive environments.

Observation:

  • The theory currently faces challenges in explaining the evolution of complex systems.
  • Human society presents a particularly complex system for evolutionary analysis.

Findings:

  • The established theory provides a robust framework for understanding adaptation and survival.
  • Further research is needed to extend evolutionary principles to intricate societal structures.

Implications:

  • Understanding the evolution of complex systems, including human society, requires expanding current evolutionary models.
  • This research opens new avenues for interdisciplinary studies in evolutionary science and sociology.