In summary, a heritable characteristic that an organism to have more offspring which survive to reproduce will tend to become more common in a population as a result of evolution by natural selection. Explain why a characteristic helps an animal to live longer will generally tend to become more common in the population as a result of evolution by natural selection. Sometimes characteristics are not heritable but are environmentally influenced. Describe three characteristics that are not inherited but affect survival. Not all heritable characteristics which contribute to longer life become more common in the population. Some characteristics contribute to long life, but not more offspring. For example, a female cat which is sterile and cannot have any offspring may live longer because she will not experience the biological stresses of repeated pregnancies. Explain why a characteristic like this which contributes to a long life, but with few or no offspring, would not become more common as a result of evolution by natural selection.
In summary, a heritable characteristic that an organism to have more offspring which survive to reproduce will tend to become more common in a population as a result of evolution by natural selection. Explain why a characteristic helps an animal to live longer will generally tend to become more common in the population as a result of evolution by natural selection. Sometimes characteristics are not heritable but are environmentally influenced. Describe three characteristics that are not inherited but affect survival. Not all heritable characteristics which contribute to longer life become more common in the population. Some characteristics contribute to long life, but not more offspring. For example, a female cat which is sterile and cannot have any offspring may live longer because she will not experience the biological stresses of repeated pregnancies. Explain why a characteristic like this which contributes to a long life, but with few or no offspring, would not become more common as a result of evolution by natural selection.
natural_selection_practice_handout.docx