Which causes natural selection to occur? A-populations below the carrying capacity B-a lack of competition C-the presence of predators D-unlimited resources
Biology · Middle School · Mon Jan 18 2021
Answered on
Option c is correct (presence of predator).
Natural selection is the process by which living things produce more offspring than are needed to maintain their numbers, and then some of those offspring die. Nothing more.
The more variable the offspring, the better the life form will be at adapting to changes in the environment. This is why all complex life uses sexual reproduction—because it vastly increases variation within a population.
The natural selection that causes evolution in a species is based on the competition within a species.
A population that is not limited will grow exponentially due to individuals producing more offspring than is needed for replacement.
Exponential growth can only continue for a very short period of time, no matter how abundant resources are, they have a limit and exponential growth inevitably hits the limit of one or more of its resources after a handful of generations at the most.
Then the carrying capacity for that population is reached and you have competition for that resource.