Question

Which of the following are the two key concepts of Darwinian theory of evolution?
A. Genetic drift and mutation
B. Adaptive radiation and homology
C. Mutation and natural selection
D. Branching descent and natural selection

Answer 1

Hint: Natural selection allows species to be adapted or gradually adapted to their environments over time. Natural selection depends on the environment and includes current heritable differences in the population.

Complete Answer:
- Evolution is a transition in the heritable features of biological populations over generations. These traits are the appearances of genes that are transferred from parents to children during reproduction.
- The theory of evolution was first proposed by Charles Darwin. The process suggested by Darwin for evolution is natural selection. \As natural resources are limited, individuals with genetic characteristics that favor reproduction and survival will tend to leave more offspring than their peers, resulting in the increasing characteristics over generations.
- According to Darwin's theory of evolution, nature chooses the most suitable. Fitness is based on the traits that are inherited. There must also be a genetic basis for selection and evolution.
- Some species are best able to live in an otherwise hostile climate. The adaptive capability is inherited. It has a genetic basis for it. Fitness is the end product of the desire to adapt and to be chosen by nature. As a consequence, branching and natural selection are the two main principles of Darwin's theory of evolution.

Thus, the correct answer is option D, i.e, Branching descent and natural selection.

Note: Darwin suggested that species could evolve over time. A new species would come from pre-existing species and that all species would share a common ancestor. He called this process in which groups of individuals change in their inherited characteristics over generations as descent with modification.