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Related Concept Videos

Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

45.6K
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...
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Natural Selection and Adaptation01:15

Natural Selection and Adaptation

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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,...
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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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What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

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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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Natural Selection and Mating Preferences01:06

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

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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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Frequency-dependent Selection01:21

Frequency-dependent Selection

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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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Visualizing Visual Adaptation
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Visualizing Visual Adaptation

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STABILIZING SELECTION AND THE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ADAPTATION.

Thomas F Hansen1

  • 1Division of Zoology, Department of Biology, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1050, Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway.

Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution
|June 2, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study models adaptive evolution, showing how phylogenetic constraints cause imperfect adaptations. A new statistical method estimates selective factors

Keywords:
Adaptationcomparative methodmacroevolutionoptimalityphylogenetic constraintstabilizing selection

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Macroevolutionary studies
  • Quantitative genetics

Background:

  • Comparative and optimality studies conceptualize adaptation differently.
  • Optimality studies assume traits are maintained at an optimum by stabilizing selection.
  • Comparative studies focus on trait origin and change.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a macroevolutionary model of adaptive evolution.
  • To integrate trait maintenance at optima with phylogenetic constraints.
  • To derive a statistical comparative method for estimating selection effects on adaptive optima.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a macroevolutionary model of adaptive evolution.
  • Incorporated stabilizing selection and phylogenetic constraints.
  • Derived a statistical comparative method.

Main Results:

  • Phylogenetic constraints lead to species correlations and imperfect adaptations.
  • The model demonstrates stabilizing selection as a dominant force.
  • Interspecific variation reflects shifts in adaptive optima.

Conclusions:

  • The derived method aligns optimality and comparative approaches.
  • This framework aids in understanding adaptation and evolutionary trends.
  • Applied the method to fossil horse dental evolution.