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Related Concept Videos

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...
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What is Natural Selection?01:32

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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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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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Genetic Drift03:33

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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.
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Natural Selection and Adaptation01:15

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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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Evolutionary Psychology01:20

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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...
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In Vitro Directed Evolution of a Restriction Endonuclease with More Stringent Specificity
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Adaptive evolvability through direct selection instead of indirect, second-order selection.

Andreas Wagner1,2,3,4

  • 1Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part B, Molecular and Developmental Evolution
|July 13, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Adaptive evolution can enhance evolvability through specific DNA mutations. These mutations boost both fitness and the capacity for future adaptation, suggesting evolvability itself is an adaptive trait.

Keywords:
autoregulationdirect selectionevolvabilitygene duplicationrobustness

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular evolution

Background:

  • Evolvability, the capacity for future adaptive evolution, is difficult to evolve directly.
  • Selection typically favors mutations directly increasing fitness over those affecting evolvability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore how adaptive evolution can lead to increased evolvability.
  • To investigate the role of mutations that simultaneously affect fitness and evolvability.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of a recent evolution experiment.
  • Review of evidence from gene duplication and gene regulation evolution.

Main Results:

  • Some mutations were found to enhance both fitness and evolvability via combined direct and indirect selection.
  • Evidence suggests mutations with dual effects on fitness and evolvability may be common.

Conclusions:

  • Evolvability can increase because it confers an adaptive advantage.
  • Further research is needed to identify and characterize mutations affecting both fitness and evolvability.
  • Darwinian evolution may have shaped the conditions for its own success.