Which of these statements describes the idea of survival of the fittest?

Question

A. Small adaptive changes gradually add up over many generations and species may change so much as to be totally different.
B. New generations acquire the beneficial traits of their ancestors, making them better suited to survive and reproduce.
C. Nature selects for those animals that are best suited to survive and reproduce in their environment and against those less well suited to their environment.
D. Only the best-adapted animals in any population survive and reproduce.
E. Nature can only select from among existing variation.

Answer 1

I'm not so sure it is D. I am leaning more towards C.

The word that bothers me in D (and makes me suspect a trick question) is the word "Only." If you were to rate adaption to the environment on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10's being the "best-adapted", it is not true that *only* the 10's will survive. Sometimes the 7's, 8's and 9's will too. Or maybe 4's through the 9's. Sometimes *all* of them will survive and reproduce ... but those that are best adapted will reproduce *more*.

However, what I like about D is the word "population". It stresses that this is not about competition between species, but between members of the same species (the same population).

So if the word "population" was in C, I would choose that in a heartbeat.

In other words "survival of the fittest" is a description of a *tendency*, not an absolute death sentence for anything not the "best-adapted".

What I like about C is the first two words "nature selects". As "survival of the fittest" is intended to be a summary phrase for natural selection, that is a strong indicator.

So, sorry, I'm leaning toward C.

(P.S. Please remember to come back and tell us what your teacher thinks is the best answer ... and choose Best Answer accordingly. Now I'm curious.)

Answer 2

This is an example of a really sucky question.

A. Small adaptive changes gradually add up over many generations and species may change so much as to be totally different.

Absolutely not "survivial of the fittest". This is origin of species

B. New generations acquire the beneficial traits of their ancestors, making them better suited to survive and reproduce.

Problem words: Acquire, beneficial, traits.
Genes that produce a beneficial trait do get passed on, generally, still not a good answer.

C.Nature selects for those animals that are best suited to survive and reproduce in their environment and against those less well suited to their environment.

Problem concept: Nature does not "select" HOWEVER if the textbook or teacher this question comes from refers to nature selecting in other places, this will be the right answer. This is more right than D if that caveat is in place.

D. Only the best-adapted animals in any population survive and reproduce.

This is incorrect. Darwin described evolution as a slow gradual process because "selected" animals OUTBREED and OUTLIVE others, but "only" is a problem word. We see poorly adapted animals surviving all the time. The cheeta, for example, has an evolutionary strategy-the sprint- that is proving to not be a great adaptation (if the cheeta doesn't succeed in catching its prey in 2-3 tries, it regularly lacks the energy to sprint again and may die- cheetas were in decline before their habitat was being lost. And that's the species level. We've seen social animals protect the deformed members of their tribe/herd, and let them breed.

E. True, but not the "idea of natural selection."

The best way to approach this question is to actually write that both C and D are partially true, and explain the mechanisms of Natural selection (phenotypes randomly vary over time and the beneficial ones tend to increase in frequency as the animals with those phenotypes breed more sucessfully.) If this were an AP Bio short answer question, for example, that alone would be the correct answer.
.

Answer 3

If that is because of the fact their ancestors have been bred to produce sturdy/athletic offspring, why are not black human beings sturdy in any respect activities? Seriousuly--the only activities i'm able to think of of that has a great style of black athletes are basketball, soccer, and (on occasion) baseball. Why are not hockey communities as a rule black? Tennis gamers? parent skaters? Golfers? i think of it has extra to do with their upbringing/community. maximum black components i've got visited/gone by way of have numerous basketball courts/empty plenty (for enjoying soccer) yet you very just about under no circumstances see a tennis court docket or an ice rink.

Answer 4

A - says nothing about survival or the fittest
B - hints at it but is really about inheritance
C - Implies that Nature is indeed a Mother or a person, making a selection.
D - Yep, spot on.
E - Says nothing about the fittest or its survival.

Answer 5

"D" is the correct answer

Answer 6

D

Answer 7

D