Charles Darwin’s observations helped him form the theory of evolution. This theory involves the process of natural selection. Which situation is the best example of natural selection?

Question

Charles Darwin’s observations helped him form the theory of evolution. This theory involves the process of natural selection. Which situation is the best example of natural selection?

A. A watering hole is polluted by runoff. All the animals that drink from that hole leave the area. They find a new source of water in a different location and survive to reproduce.

B. In a colony of monkeys, a female gives birth to two offspring. All the adult monkeys in the colony nurture the offspring and both offspring survive.

C. Populations of related spiders are discovered in caves. Populations close to the entrance have eight eyes. Populations inside where it is dark have no eyes and extrasensory hairs.

D. A pesticide is applied to a crop of plants. All of the insects in the area die off and the plants survive. The plants’ offspring are healthy and free of pests.

Answer 1

C. Populations of related spiders are discovered in caves. Populations close to the entrance have eight eyes. Populations inside where it is dark have no eyes and extrasensory hairs is the best example of natural selection. In this situation, the spider populations that are better adapted to their environment (i.e., the ones with traits such as extrasensory hairs) are more likely to survive and pass on their genes to their offspring. Over time, this can lead to a divergence in traits between populations in different environments, ultimately resulting in the development of new species.