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Related Concept Videos

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

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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, 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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Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience,...
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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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Natural selection and birthweight

N B Jones

    Annals of Human Biology
    |September 1, 1978
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Mean birthweight is lower than optimal for survival, a finding explained by natural selection theory. This challenges previous understandings of evolutionary pressures on human birthweight.

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    Area of Science:

    • Evolutionary biology
    • Perinatal health

    Background:

    • Mean birthweight has historically been lower than the weight associated with the lowest perinatal mortality.
    • This observation presented a challenge to traditional natural selection theories.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To reconcile the observed mean birthweight with predictions from natural selection theory.
    • To explain the evolutionary pressures influencing human birthweight.

    Main Methods:

    • Analysis of historical birthweight data.
    • Application of natural selection models.

    Main Results:

    • Mean birthweight is consistently below the optimal weight for minimizing perinatal mortality.
    • This finding aligns with theoretical predictions from natural selection.

    Conclusions:

    • The observed mean birthweight is a result of evolutionary pressures, not a deviation from them.
    • Natural selection theory can explain the current distribution of human birthweights.