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Chapter 18: Problem 3

Which is the best definition of adaptation? a. a trait or behavior that aids an organism鈥檚 survival and reproduction b. a heritable trait or behavior that aids an organism鈥檚 survival and reproduction c. a trait or behavior that aids a population鈥檚 survival and reproduction d. a heritable trait or behavior that aids a population鈥檚 survival and reproduction

Short Answer

Expert verified
Option (b) is the best definition.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Adaptation

Adaptation refers to a characteristic that enhances the survival and reproduction of organisms in a specific environment.
02

Heritability

Adaptations are typically heritable traits, meaning they can be passed from one generation to the next.
03

Context of Adaptation

Focus on whether the adaptation benefits an individual organism or the population as a whole as it is related to evolution and natural selection.
04

Comparing Options

Option (a) and (c) talk about traits or behaviors that aid survival and reproduction but do not specify heritability. Option (b) and (d) add the aspect of heritability which is crucial for adaptations.
05

Selecting the Best Definition

Since adaptations are heritable traits, options that include this concept are more accurate. Additionally, adaptations usually refer to individual organisms rather than populations.
06

Final Decision

Option (b) provides the most complete definition as it includes both heritability and the aid to an individual organism鈥檚 survival and reproduction.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

heritable traits
Heritable traits are characteristics that can be passed down from one generation to the next through genes. Examples include eye color, blood type, and certain behaviors. These traits are encoded in DNA and are passed to offspring during reproduction. In the context of adaptation, heritable traits are crucial because they provide the genetic variations on which natural selection can act. Without heritable traits, an organism's adaptations wouldn't be transmitted to the next generation, which is vital for the process of evolution.
survival and reproduction
Survival and reproduction are key elements of adaptation. A trait or behavior that helps an organism survive longer or reproduce more effectively increases its fitness in a given environment. For instance, if a lizard has a coloration that helps it blend into its surroundings, it is less likely to be seen by predators, thereby increasing its chances of survival. Similarly, if a bird has a beak shape that allows it to access food more easily, it may have a higher reproductive success. Essentially, traits that enhance survival and reproduction are favored in the natural selection process.
evolution and natural selection
Evolution is the process through which species change over time. One of the main mechanisms of evolution is natural selection, which acts on heritable traits. Natural selection encourages the survival of organisms with favorable traits while weeding out those with less advantageous ones. Over many generations, this process can lead to significant changes in a species. For example, if a population of insects develops resistance to a pesticide, those with the resistance trait will survive and reproduce, gradually making the trait more common in the population. This is a clear illustration of how adaptation, heritable traits, and natural selection converge in the journey of evolution.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Prior to 1800 in England, the typical moth of the species Biston betularia (peppered moth) had a light pattern. Dark colored moths were rare. By the late 19th century, the light-colored moths were rare, and the moths with dark patterns were abundant. The cause of this change was hypothesized to be selective predation by birds (J.W. Tutt, 1896). During the industrial revolution, soot and other wastes from industrial processes killed tree lichens and darkened tree trunks. Thus, prior to the pollution of the industrial revolution, dark moths stood out on light-colored trees and were vulnerable to predators. With the rise of pollution, however, the coloring of moths vulnerable to predators changed to light. In the late 1900s, England cleaned up its air, and pollution decreased. The bark of trees went from dark to light. Which of the following outcomes to the populations of peppered moth would you expect given this environmental change? a. An increase in the number of dark moths and a decrease in the number of light moths b. an increase in the number of moths overall c. an approximately equal number of light moths and dark moths d. an increase in the number of light moths and a decrease in the number of dark moths

Give an example of convergent evolution and explain how it supports the theory of evolution by natural selection. a. An example of convergent evolution is the development of the same function, swimming, in organisms that live in different parts of the globe, such as Arctic beluga whales and Antarctic right whales. The fact that organisms that do not come in contact with each other have developed the same traits suggests that natural selection can produce similar adaptations in organisms who share a similar environment b. An example of convergent evolution is the set of adaptations, such as better running speed or more efficient hunting, developed by a species in response to competition with a new species that moves into the same region. The fact that a species adapts after it comes into contact with a competitor suggests that natural selection works more quickly with higher selective pressures. c. An example of convergent evolution is the development of an ancestral structure, a limb, into two different modern structures, such as a hand and a flipper. The fact that natural selection can cause a structure to develop down two different pathways due to different environmental conditions supports the theory of evolution d. An example of convergent evolution is the development of the same function, flying, in organisms that do not share a recent common ancestry, such as insects and birds. The fact that wings that allow flight have developed from very different original structures suggests that the process of natural selection can produce similar adaptations in two very different types of organisms who share a similar environment

Populations of a plant species have been found growing in the mountains at altitudes above 2,500 meters. Populations of a plant that appears similar, with slight differences, have been found in the same mountains at altitudes below 2,300 meters. Describe a plan for collecting two kinds of data that could provide a direct answer to the question: do the populations growing above 2,500 meters and the populations growing below 2,300 meters represent a single species? a. Scientists could take the genetic code of a plant from each altitude and determine whether the two sets of DNA are identical. They could also insert genes from one plant into the cells from the other and see if the cells survive b. Scientists could look in the fossil record to find the plants鈥� most recent common ancestor. They could also check the surrounding mountains to determine if the most recent common ancestor is still living. c. Scientists could breed the two groups in the same environment and observe whether, over several generations, they begin to look more similar. They could also switch the groups, growing the high-altitude plants at low altitude and the low-altitude plants at high altitude, and observe whether the former begin to look like low- altitude plants and the latter begin to look like high-altitude plants. d. Scientists could collect seeds and test whether they might be cross- pollinated to produce fertile offspring. They could also investigate the area between 2,500 meters and 2,300 meters to see if fertile hybrid populations might be found living between the two other populations of plants.

Which of these statements about a natural principle that points to the inevitability of natural selection is false? a. Most characteristics of organisms are inherited. b. Offspring vary among each other in regard to their characteristics. c. Some generations of offspring do not need to compete for resources. d. Certain traits will be better represented in the next generation

Which type of speciation, allopatric or sympatric, is more common? Why? a. Allopatric speciation is more common because it prevents gene flow between the species. b. Allopatric speciation is more common because it involves stronger prezygotic barriers. c. Sympatric speciation is more common because it prevents gene flow between the species. d. Sympatric speciation is more common because it involves stronger prezygotic barriers.
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