Question

Identify the four postulates of natural selection.

A. Inheritance, variation, adaptation, overproduction
B. Competition, cooperation, mutation, migration
C. Survival, reproduction, mutation, selection
D. Diversity, selection, isolation, extinction

Answer 1

The four postulates of natural selection are variation of traits, competition for resources, overproduction of offspring, and differential survival and reproduction, leading to adaptation over time.

Step-by-step explanation:

The four postulates of natural selection, as proposed by Charles Darwin, are:

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• Variation of traits among individuals in a population
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• Competition for limited resources
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• Overproduction of offspring
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• Differential survival and reproduction

These postulates can be summarized as follows:

1. 
   
3. Individuals in a population vary in their traits.
4. 
   
6. Organisms compete for limited resources.
7. 
   
9. Organisms produce more offspring than can survive.
10. 
    
12. Individuals with traits well-suited to their environment tend to survive and reproduce, passing on those traits to the next generation.

This process leads to the adaptation of populations to their environments over time, a concept Darwin described as 'descent with modification.' Natural selection is a crucial mechanism of evolution and is based on heritable variations that affect survival and reproductive success.

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