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Chapter 4: Problem 10

What are selective pressures, and how do they relate to natural selection?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Selective pressures are environmental factors that impact an organism's ability to survive. These factors drive natural selection by favoring individuals with traits that allow them to best adapt to their environment, thus are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Step by step solution

01

Definition of Selective Pressures

Selective pressures refer to any phenomena which alter the behavior and fitness of living organisms within a given environment. They are factors from the environment which apply pressure that could potentially determine an organism's chances of survival.
02

Definition of Natural Selection

Natural selection is a process where individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits. This process causes species to change over time.
03

Relation Between Selective Pressures and Natural Selection

Selective pressures and natural selection are closely related. Selective pressures drive natural selection. These pressures, such as predation, disease, and competition for resources, can determine which traits are beneficial for an organism's survival. Organisms that possess beneficial traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing these advantageous traits to their offspring, a process known as natural selection.

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