Question

Two students describe natural selection to their classmates. Which student should refine their explanation of natural selection and why?

a) Student 1 should revise the explanation because individuals in a population cannot change the genetic component of their DNA, so they cannot evolve.
b) Student 1 should revise the explanation because environments cannot change enough in an individual's lifetime to see evidence of natural selection.
c) Student 2 should revise the explanation because selective pressures only act on entire populations while survival occurs with individuals.
d) Student 2 should revise the explanation because it does not account for the extinction of populations after heavy selective pressures.

Answer 1

Student 1 should revise their explanation as it misunderstands that evolution occurs in populations over time through natural selection and not in individuals changing their own DNA.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student who should refine their explanation of natural selection is Student 1, based on option (a). This is because Student 1's suggestion that individuals in a population can 'change the genetic component of their DNA so they can evolve' conflicts with the understanding that evolution is a process that affects populations over time, not individuals. It is important to recognize that natural selection acts on the phenotypic variation that already exists within a population, and it is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals with certain traits that may lead to changes in the genetic makeup of a population across generations.