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Which of the following statements is not accurate?

(a) direct fitness results from personal reproduction.
(b) altruistic behaviors may evolve due to an increase in inclusive fitness.
(c) indirect benefits accrue through helping relatives produce extra offspring.
(d) kin selection refers to selection on traits that increase indirect fitness.
(e) all are accurate

User Lucasart
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2 Answers

6 votes

Final answer:

All the given statements (a), (b), (c), and (d) regarding evolutionary concepts like direct fitness, inclusive fitness, and kin selection are accurate. Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is option (e), stating that all options are accurate.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student has asked which statement is not accurate regarding certain evolutionary concepts. Upon reviewing the options, we see that they discuss direct fitness, inclusive fitness, benefits of altruistic behavior in terms of indirect benefits, and kin selection. All these concepts are key elements in understanding how certain traits and behaviors can be favored by natural selection, even if they appear altruistic.

Considering the definitions of the provided terms:

Direct fitness is indeed a result of an individual's personal reproduction, making option (a) accurate.

Inclusive fitness includes not just the individual's offspring but also the relative's offspring, thereby making option (b) accurate.

Altruistic behaviors often do result in indirect benefits through the increased survival of relatives, which corresponds to option (c) being accurate.

Kin selection is a concept in evolutionary biology where natural selection favors behaviors that help close relatives pass on their genes, which makes option (d) accurate as well.

Given this information, all statements (a), (b), (c), and (d) are accurate, which leads us to option (e), stating that all are accurate. So the answer to the student's question is none of the statements is inaccurate; therefore, option (e) is the correct answer.

User Brandon M
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2 votes

Final answer:

All the given statements about fitness, altruistic behaviors, and kin selection are accurate. Direct fitness stems from an individual's reproduction; inclusive fitness can be increased by altruistic behaviors; indirect benefits are gained by aiding relatives; and kin selection favors traits that improve indirect fitness.The correct answer is an option E

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks which statement is not accurate regarding fitness, altruistic behaviors, and kin selection. After reviewing the concepts of direct fitness, inclusive fitness, and kin selection, the answer to this question is (e) all are accurate. To explain, direct fitness is indeed the result of an individual's personal reproduction, while altruistic behaviors can evolve when they increase an organism's inclusive fitness, which includes the fitness of relatives sharing similar genes.

Furthermore, indirect benefits do accrue when helping relatives produce extra offspring, and kin selection is the process through which natural selection favors traits that increase an individual's indirect fitness through relatives.

User Erez Cohen
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