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Related Concept Videos

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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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.
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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.
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Using ecological context to interpret spatiotemporal variation in natural selection.

Elena Albertsen1,2, Øystein H Opedal2,3, Geir H Bolstad4

  • 1Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research, Trondheim, 7031, Norway.

Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution
|November 24, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Natural selection varies in space and time, influenced by pollinators. Understanding floral traits and ecological context helps reveal these patterns in plant evolution.

Keywords:
Dalechampia scandenspath analysisphenotypic selectionplant-pollinator interactionpollen limitationspatial variationtemporal variation

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Plant Science

Background:

  • Natural selection is expected to vary across space and time, but estimating this variation is challenging.
  • Pollinator-mediated selection on floral traits offers a valuable model for linking selection variation to ecological differences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate spatiotemporal variation in pollinator-mediated selection on floral traits in Dalechampia scandens.
  • To link observed selection variation to differences in pollinator assemblages and ecological context.

Main Methods:

  • Studied five populations of Dalechampia scandens in Costa Rica and Mexico.
  • Employed a nonlinear path-analytical approach to assess functional components of selection.
  • Linked variation in pollinator-mediated selection to pollinator assemblage variation.

Main Results:

  • Detected moderate variation in net selection on two of four blossom traits after error correction.
  • Found that the opportunity for selection and mean selection strength decreased with increased cross-pollination reliability.
  • Observed consistent positive selection for pollinator attraction on advertisement traits over reward traits.

Conclusions:

  • Consideration of trait function and ecological context is crucial for detecting and understanding spatiotemporal variation in natural selection.
  • Selection on pollen transfer traits is significant only when cross-pollination is unreliable and pollinator-blossom size is mismatched.
  • Pollinator-mediated selection demonstrates how ecological context shapes evolutionary trajectories.