Natural Selection
Biology: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 6.3.1
Natural Selection
Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection proposed that all species have evolved from simple life forms that first appeared on Earth more than three billion years ago. The process is:
Genetic variation
- Different individual animals in a population (or species) have different combinations of genes (show genetic variation).
Survival of the fittest
- Individuals that are best adapted to the environment will have a greater chance of survival.
Successful breeding
- Individuals with the best chances of survival are the most likely to breed successfully (because they survive).
Best characteristics survive
- The characteristics responsible for the greater chance of survival are more likely to be passed on to the next generation.
Test yourself on Natural Selection
Natural Selection
Why does a Komodo dragon's dirty mouth give it a survival advantage?
Why might a faster individual animal have a survival advantage?
Which of these is NOT necessary for the natural selection process?
Why would being faster help an individual pass on its genes to the next generation?