Course review
Review each learning objective in this topic, then open its concept explanation or question set.
Learning objective
• Natural selection is the mechanism driving evolutionary change • It acts on heritable variation and can produce adaptation, speciation, and biodiversity
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Learning objective
• Mutation creates new alleles, especially when germ-line mutations are inherited • Meiosis and random fertilization create new combinations of existing alleles
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Learning objective
• Overproduction of offspring leads to high mortality in limited environments • Competition for food, space, mates, and other resources promotes selection
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Learning objective
• Abiotic factors can act as density-independent selection pressures • Temperature, drought, light, salinity, and pH can favour different variants
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Learning objective
• Individuals vary in adaptation, survival, and reproductive success • Fitness means passing alleles to offspring in a particular environment
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Learning objective
• Natural selection causes evolution only if traits are heritable • Acquired characteristics are not inherited through DNA base sequences
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Learning objective
• Sexual selection favours traits that increase mate choice or mating competition success • Displays, ornaments, and behaviours such as birds-of-paradise plumage can be selected
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Learning objective
• Selection can be modelled by experimentally controlling selection pressures • Endler's guppy experiments test predation pressure, colour pattern, and mating success
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