Final answer:
Natural selection leads to evolution when a population has genetically diverse members that compete for resources, as this diversity enables differential survival and reproduction based on advantageous traits.
Step-by-step explanation:
Natural selection can lead to evolution in a population when it has genetically diverse members that compete for resources. The correct answer is D. Genetic diversity within a population is crucial for natural selection to operate. Without variation in traits, there would be no differential survival or reproduction based on those traits, which is necessary for natural selection to lead to evolutionary change. Individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits to offspring, influencing the population's allele frequencies over time. This is how natural selection drives the process of adaptive evolution, shaping populations to better suit their environments.
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