Final answer:
Natural selection requires variation among individuals in a population, overproduction of offspring leading to competition, and the selection of favorable adaptations, resulting in these traits becoming more common over generations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Natural selection is a key mechanism of evolution and requires certain conditions to occur. These conditions ensure that organisms with traits that better enable them to adapt to their environment will more likely survive and reproduce. The conditions required for natural selection include:
Variation among organisms in a population: There must be differences in traits within a population, which are often genetic in nature.
Overproduction of offspring: Organisms tend to produce more offspring than can survive, leading to competition for resources.
Favorable adaptations are selected by nature: Traits that provide an advantage in the environment will help organisms survive and reproduce more effectively.
Unfavorable adaptations passed on to offspring in smaller numbers: Traits that do not provide an advantage are less likely to be passed on.
Favorable adaptations building in population over time: As advantageous traits are inherited through generations, they become more common in the population.
Through natural selection, populations evolve, developing traits that are better suited for their specific environments. This process enhances the overall fitness and survival of species over generations.