Final answer:
This scenario is an example of natural selection, where individuals with traits better suited to their environment (in this case, taller height) are more likely to survive and reproduce, thus passing these advantageous traits to the next generation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Suppose individuals with the tallest genetically based phenotypes survived and reproduced more than other genotypes. This scenario is an example of natural selection. In the world of evolutionary biology, natural selection is a process where individuals that are more adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on their beneficial traits to subsequent generations. This leads to a population gradually becoming better suited to its environment over time.
In the case of height, if being tall is an advantageous trait that results in higher survival and more successful reproduction, then over generations, the population will trend towards taller average heights. This phenomenon is also reflected in how genetic variation leads to a range of phenotypes, such as height, where most individuals will have an average height, while a few will be very tall or very short. This variation allows for certain individuals to have an advantage in specific environmental conditions.
Therefore, the scenario described with tallest individuals having more survival and reproduction success is an illustration of how polygenic inheritance can lead to changes in a population's genetic makeup through the process of natural selection, with these taller individuals passing on their genes for tall stature to their offspring.