Natural Selection & Adaptations
Natural selection is one of the major processes of evolution that helps to understand how the species evolve through time. It is all about the role of certain traits in assisting organisms to survive and reproduce better in their environment. Such traits get dominated in populations as the generations elapse resulting into the adaption of species into their settings.
1. Evolution
Evolution is the process of change of species with regards to time. It tells how life on earth has shaped and evolved to various environments.
How Evolution Happens:
Evolution takes place through changes of organisms' DNA. These changes can create new traits that are inherited in generations to come.
Role of Natural Selection:
Natural selection refers to the process of survival of the individuals with more helpful traits than the other organisms. With the course of time, such traits become more common in the population.
Example of Evolution:
During the course of time, the peppered moth in England changed its color because of Industrial Revolution. Moths which were darker adapted well in polluted regions and eventually through generations they became mostly dark.
2. Darwin and Natural Selection
Charles Darwin is known for theory of evolution through natural selection. He observed species on the Galápagos Islands and observed that species adjusted in different ways based upon their surroundings.
Darwin's Observations:
Darvin noticed that animals and plants in various environments had characteristics on which survival in the environment depended.
Darwin's Theory:
He suggested that the mechanism of evolution is natural selection. Advantageous organisms are prone to survive, reproduce with the necessary advantage and carry it to the next generation.
Darwin's Book:
Darwin published his book "On the Origin of Species" in 1859 whereas he provided evidence of evolution and natural selection, another way in which we view life on earth.
3. Trait Inheritance
Trait inheritance refers to a process of passing down the traits from the parents to offsprings by means of genetic material (DNA).
Genes and Alleles:
Laws are the ways that traits are inherited from parents, via the genes, which are of various forms known as alleles. The allele for the brown eyes, or the blue eyes.
Dominant and Recessive Traits:
There are those alleles that are dominant meaning that they override the effect of other alleles. For instance, there is a dominant and recessive eye color; brown-eye allele over blue-eye allele.
Genetics and Natural Selection:
Organisms pass on traits to their offsprings and those organisms that have helpful traits are more likely to reproduce propagating the useful traits.
Example of Inherited Traits:
An elongated neck of a giraffe is a hereditary characteristic that enables it to reach out for leaves in high trees. For longer periods of time, giraffes with longer necks were able to survive and reproduce, thus, transmitting their long-neck trait.