Question

Natural selection suggests that creatures with mutations disadvantageous to survival will not live to reproduce, yet there are examples, such as albino animals, found occasionally. Do these exceptions discredit natural selection? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Answer: These types of exceptions do NOT discredit natural selection.

Step-by-step explanation:

Natural selection is based on the odds that certain traits will not adapt well in certain environments and ecosystems. It recognizes that organisms with mutations may be disadvantageous or not since the mutation is non-specific. In instances such as albinoism, the mutation is more likely to be disadvantageous though in some environments (like the desert) it could be a benefit. Natural selection is not an exact science or absolute rule, it is based on probabilities and variations, so exceptions will always exist.

Answer 2

No, these exceptions do not discredit natural selection.

Step-by-step explanation:

Natural selection tends to favour those organisms which are better adapted to live in an environment. But it does not completely remove the other organisms from the world that are less adapted to live in an environment. Usually, the number of these organisms that are not favoured by natural selection is very less as compared to the number of organisms which are favoured by natural selection. As we see, the number of albino animals is far lesser as compared to their wild-type animals.