Question

Only variations that confer an advantage to an individual organism will survive in a population. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Hint: Species exit due their unique abilities and advantageous characteristics, which helps them in passing through natural selection and help in survival of different species in unfavourable conditions.

Complete answer:
Evolution is a series of changes that occur over the long time period for the benefit of individuals and helps them out in survival of species in difficult situations and in unfavourable conditions. This occurs at genetic level as well as morphological and behavioural levels.
Natural selection is one of the methods of survival of the fittest among all populations.
Now, we can say that characters which have advantageous nature will only survive in the population and if characters acquired by individuals are not advantageous it may still survive because it will not have any effect. But if characters have a negative effect on an individual it will take the life of the individual at risk and may lead to death of the organism.
For example- If a bacterial population faces sudden increase in heat or temperature, they will start struggling for life as they are not habitual of surviving in more heat or temperature conditions. SO, as generations constantly face this high temperature or high heat then they will start having mutations or changes in their genetic material and modifications in their biological processes. Which are beneficial for the bacterial population and bacterial population will become heat resistant.
So, we can say that those traits that have beneficial or advantageous characteristics will only help in survival of individuals and I agree with this statement.

Note:
In a population of different organisms variations are positive as well as negative but those characters which are advantageous will help in survival of individuals and help in getting competency among other species and individuals.