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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

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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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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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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Speciation Rates01:07

Speciation Rates

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Overview
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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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Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
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Natural selection at multiple scales.

Steven A Frank1

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, United States.

Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution
|March 11, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Natural selection involves opposing forces acting at different scales. This study unifies these forces, revealing how they combine to shape evolutionary outcomes like cooperation and virulence.

Keywords:
evolutionary theorygroup selectionkin selectionmathematical modelsspatial processesstatics vs dynamics

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Theoretical ecology
  • Population genetics

Background:

  • Natural selection operates across various scales, frequently leading to conflicting evolutionary pressures.
  • Understanding the interplay of these forces is crucial for predicting evolutionary trajectories.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and analyze the specific forces of natural selection acting at different scales.
  • To develop a unified theoretical framework for understanding how these forces combine to determine evolutionary outcomes.
  • To clarify the distinctions between related concepts like kin selection and multilevel selection.

Main Methods:

  • Development of extended models based on the tragedy of the commons.
  • Generalization of multitrait interactions to unify within- and between-species dynamics.
  • Isolation and analysis of fundamental forces of selection: marginal valuation, correlation, and reproductive value.
  • Focus on static analysis to explain how opposing forces shape traits.

Main Results:

  • Identified fundamental forces of selection that operate at different temporal and spatial scales.
  • Demonstrated how opposing forces, such as conflict and cooperation, balance to shape traits like virulence and dispersal.
  • Unified diverse evolutionary concepts (kin selection, multilevel selection, inclusive fitness) under a broader framework.

Conclusions:

  • A unified approach reveals how fundamental forces of selection at multiple scales interact to drive evolution.
  • Static analysis provides complementary insights to dynamic models for a deeper understanding of evolutionary processes.
  • The framework clarifies complex evolutionary phenomena by focusing on core selective pressures.