A. Humans produce more offspring than our food supply can sustain.
B.Natural selection necessarily eliminates all animals that are not swift and aggressive
C. Living creatures possess a built-in drive to become increasingly complex
D. The accumulation of minr adaptive traits, over time, leads to new species.
2006-06-24 05:03:55 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
A is incorrect because this statement is usually attributed to Malthus however, Darwin was aware of this and it is one of the driving forces of natural selection-- that there are more organisms (not just humans) that can be supported by available resources.
B is incorrect because the adaptations that are favorable are not always biased towards being swift and aggressive. There are passive, defensive adaptations that are effective.
C is incorrect because evolution is not directional. There is no such thing as devolution. A trait that is advantageous under one set of conditions may be a liability under different environmental conditions. The most successful organisms on this planet are bacteria. Also, individuals do not evolve. Populations evolve.
D is correct. It is even right there in the title of Darwin's book on natural selection. Look it up and read it.
2006-06-24 18:48:29 · answer #1 · answered by Slackenerny 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
D is most correct.
A is sort of correct, humans do indeed sometimes produce more offspring than they can feed and humans will evolve to stop this. However, this isn't really about evolution, it just describes a problem faced by humans.
B is false, not all animals find it advantageous to be swift and aggressive, for example snails, sloths and turtles haven't.
C is completely false, living creatures possess a built in drive to survive and reproduce, the fact that they become increasingly complex is just what sometimes happens as they evolve, the creatures do not do it deliberately.
2006-06-24 05:09:09 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Clever girl. You've lain an effective trap.
D. would have been correct, had it been left as 'variations in traits arise naturally'. But as phrased it's deterministic. Darwin's point was that these traits arise randomly, and are selected for or against by competition and environmental factors (which is non-deterministic).
A. is correct. It paraphrases Darwin's spin on Malthusian Principles, that species' populations would grow unchecked, were it not for resource limitation (thus setting up the competitive arena).
2006-06-24 07:45:21 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
D) The key word is "adaptive". These adaptive traits allow an animal or plant to thrive in a changing environment. An animal or plant that changes to adapt to a new environment, may become a new species
2006-06-24 05:13:45 · answer #4 · answered by hikerBob 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
D is the closest answer. It boils down to the survival of the most fit. And by most fit, that statement means reproductively, not dominance over other species. Natural selection choose the species that has descended with the most reliable modifications.
2006-06-24 05:08:26 · answer #5 · answered by Emerson 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hmmmmm.....the statement that best illustrates natural aelection is b. however its is truly a combination of b and d. as the saying goes only the strong survive. with the strongest AND most adaptive being able to carry on and reproduce.
2006-06-24 05:10:03 · answer #6 · answered by bo_hic_a 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
D
by the way Darwin was only half right.
Send me an e-mail if you want to know why.
2006-06-24 12:10:05 · answer #7 · answered by ID Guy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do research on intelligent design. Much more fathomable.
2006-06-24 05:08:49 · answer #8 · answered by pamela_d_99 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
why are u making other ppl do ur homework? I'm sorry, but you will never learn that way.
2016-03-27 03:02:53 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
None of these is correct but b is closest.
2006-06-24 05:12:15 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋