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Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
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...
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...
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the human psyche...
Genetic Drift03:33

Genetic Drift

Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.Life is not fair. A deer grazing contentedly in a field can have her meal cut tragically short by a bolt of lightning. If the doomed doe is one of only three in the population, 1/3 of the population’s gene pool is lost. Random events like this can...

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Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
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Darwin, artificial selection, and poverty.

Luis Sanchez1

  • 1Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, St. Bribie Island, Queensland 4507, Australia. luis.sanchez@anu.edu.au

Politics and the Life Sciences : the Journal of the Association for Politics and the Life Sciences
|September 4, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Evolutionary selection is increasingly artificial, challenging the idea of purely natural selection. This oversight impacts our understanding of evolution and its social implications.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genetics
  • Social Darwinism

Background:

  • Darwin's theory of natural selection primarily focused on natural processes.
  • Artificial selection, though acknowledged by Darwin, was largely overlooked by subsequent Social Darwinists and neo-Darwinian thought.
  • This historical omission has led to an underestimation of artificial selection's influence on evolution.

Discussion:

  • The paper argues that evolutionary selection processes are becoming predominantly artificial.
  • This trend contradicts the traditional emphasis on natural selection in evolutionary theory.
  • The underestimation of artificial selection's impact has significant consequences for understanding evolutionary trajectories.

Key Insights:

  • Artificial selection significantly influences genotypic and phenotypic adaptations.
  • The increasing artificiality of selection represents a substantial shift in evolutionary pathways.
  • This shift carries profound biological and political implications, particularly concerning social inequalities.

Outlook:

  • Re-evaluating the role of artificial selection is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of evolution.
  • Future research should explore the interplay between artificial selection and societal structures.
  • Addressing the ideological uses of evolutionary language requires acknowledging the impact of artificial selection.