Final answer:
Natural selection is the process by which organisms with favorable traits survive and reproduce. Competition, survival of the fittest, and differential reproduction are key aspects of natural selection. Over time, natural selection can lead to the formation of new species.
Step-by-step explanation:
Natural selection is the process by which organisms with traits that better enable them to adapt to their environment will tend to survive and reproduce in greater numbers. This process leads to the evolution of populations over time. Favorable traits are those that offer an advantage to an organism in its environment. For example, in giraffes, individuals with longer necks are better able to reach leaves high in trees, which increases their chances of survival and reproduction.
Competition plays a crucial role in natural selection. When resources like food or mates are limited, individuals must compete with each other to obtain these resources. Those with favorable traits have a higher chance of winning the competition and obtaining the resources they need to survive and reproduce.
The survival of the fittest refers to the idea that individuals with the most advantageous traits have a greater chance of survival and reproduction. These individuals are better able to adapt to their environment and have a higher fitness, which is the measure of an organism's reproductive success. Over time, individuals with these favorable traits have more offspring, which increases the frequency of these traits in the population.
Differential reproduction is another important aspect of natural selection. Individuals with favorable traits are more likely to reproduce and pass on their traits to their offspring. This leads to an increase in the frequency of these traits in the population over time.
The formation of a new species can occur through natural selection. Over many generations, individuals with different traits can become reproductively isolated from each other, leading to the development of distinct populations. Eventually, these populations may become so genetically distinct that they can no longer interbreed, resulting in the formation of a new species.