Question

The life that exists on Earth today likely arose from a single common ancestor. Judge each statement below and select the ones that explain how natural selection has played a role in the diversity of life on Earth from that single ancestor. Select all that may apply.

A) Natural selection acted on phenotypes that were the result of new mutations in a population.
B) Natural selection reduced the species numbers on a global scale since individual organisms did not mutate quickly enough.
C) Natural selection maintained the fitness of populations on a global scale, which maintained species numbers at a constant level.
D) Natural selection acted on isolated populations separately, allowing for those populations to diverge over time, allowing for speciation.
E) Natural selection increased the fitness of certain populations as traits that were considered adaptations became more prevalent in the population.

Answer 1

Natural selection has contributed to the diversity of life on Earth by acting on phenotypes from mutations, causing population divergence through speciation, and selecting for beneficial traits to improve population fitness.

Step-by-step explanation:

Natural selection has played a crucial role in the diversity of life on Earth, stemming from a single common ancestor. Statement A) is correct as natural selection acted on phenotypes resulting from new mutations, contributing to diversity. Statement D) correctly describes how natural selection causes isolated populations to diverge over time through speciation. Statement E) shows how natural selection increases a population's fitness with the prevalence of beneficial adaptations. However, statements B) and C) are incorrect because natural selection does not restrict the number of species globally or maintain a constant species number; it allows for both explosive diversification and extinction, depending on environmental conditions.