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Related Concept Videos

What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

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.The Theory of Natural...
Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

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...
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

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.For one, natural selection can only act upon existing genetic variation. Hypothetically, redtusks may enhance elephant survival by deterring ivory-seeking poachers. However, if there are no gene variants—or alleles—for redtusks, natural selection cannot increase the prevalence of...
Natural Selection and Mating Preferences01:06

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

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, inherently...
Natural Selection and Adaptation01:15

Natural Selection and Adaptation

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, psychological...
Frequency-dependent Selection01:21

Frequency-dependent Selection

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.Positive Frequency-Dependent SelectionIn positive...

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Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
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Published on: January 19, 2018

Natural selection then and now.

Tim Lewens1

  • 1University of Cambridge, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Free School Lane, Cambridge, CB2 3RH, UK. tml1000@cam.ac.uk

Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
|March 18, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The modern theory of natural selection differs significantly from Darwin's original ideas, particularly regarding inheritance and fitness advantages. This challenges the notion of natural selection as a simple concept with broad explanatory power.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • The modern understanding of natural selection is often presented as a minor refinement of Darwin's original concept.
  • Claims of natural selection's simplicity and vast explanatory power are widespread.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically examine the relationship between Darwin's and modern conceptions of natural selection.
  • To evaluate the validity of claims regarding the simplicity and explanatory scope of natural selection.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of historical and contemporary evolutionary theory.
  • Examination of R.A. Fisher's contributions to population genetics and natural selection.
  • Conceptual analysis of natural selection's core tenets.

Main Results:

  • Significant differences exist between Darwin's and modern views on natural selection, particularly concerning inheritance patterns and fitness differentials.
  • R.A. Fisher's model, based on particulate inheritance, contrasts sharply with Darwin's emphasis on frequent crossing and large fitness advantages.
  • When described abstractly, the modern conception's capacity to explain adaptation becomes uncertain.

Conclusions:

  • The modern conception of natural selection is not merely an incidental update to Darwin's theory.
  • The complexity of natural selection's modern formulation challenges its perception as a "simple idea."
  • The explanatory power of natural selection, especially concerning adaptation, requires a nuanced understanding beyond abstract definitions.