selection articles

What is the primary immediate objective favored by natural selection?

What is the primary immediate objective favored by natural selection?

Which mode of sexual selection involves direct conflict, favoring traits like increased size or weaponry?

Which mode of sexual selection involves direct conflict, favoring traits like increased size or weaponry?

What illustrates the potential opposition between survival and mating success?

What illustrates the potential opposition between survival and mating success?

What distinguishes the selective pressure exerted by sexual selection from general natural selection?

What distinguishes the selective pressure exerted by sexual selection from general natural selection?

Traits resulting from strong sexual selection are often characterized by what qualities?

Traits resulting from strong sexual selection are often characterized by what qualities?

What is the usual direct evolutionary consequence when sexual selection operates strongly on one sex?

What is the usual direct evolutionary consequence when sexual selection operates strongly on one sex?

If a predator is rare, what evolutionary trajectory is likely to occur regarding sexual traits?

If a predator is rare, what evolutionary trajectory is likely to occur regarding sexual traits?

What does the evolved trait level represent when sexual selection imposes a high survival cost?

What does the evolved trait level represent when sexual selection imposes a high survival cost?

What is the primary mechanism driving intersexual selection?

What is the primary mechanism driving intersexual selection?

In evolutionary terms, why is sexual selection sometimes categorized as a type of natural selection?

In evolutionary terms, why is sexual selection sometimes categorized as a type of natural selection?

What is the definition of convergent evolution?

What is the definition of convergent evolution?

What serves as the core engine driving the process of evolutionary convergence?

What serves as the core engine driving the process of evolutionary convergence?

What term describes the structures that arise through convergent evolution?

What term describes the structures that arise through convergent evolution?

Which environmental factor repeatedly results in fish, marine reptiles, and marine mammals developing a fusiform body plan?

Which environmental factor repeatedly results in fish, marine reptiles, and marine mammals developing a fusiform body plan?

What similarity is observed between American cacti and African euphorbias due to convergent evolution?

What similarity is observed between American cacti and African euphorbias due to convergent evolution?

What concept is characterized by similar function but different deep ancestry?

What concept is characterized by similar function but different deep ancestry?

If two organisms share a structural trait because both inherited it from a recent ancestor, what is this similarity called?

If two organisms share a structural trait because both inherited it from a recent ancestor, what is this similarity called?

How do the wings of a bat and a bird fundamentally differ structurally, despite both enabling flight?

How do the wings of a bat and a bird fundamentally differ structurally, despite both enabling flight?

What evolutionary mechanism is often involved when selection favors the co-option of existing structures to create a convergent trait?

What evolutionary mechanism is often involved when selection favors the co-option of existing structures to create a convergent trait?

What evidence suggests the complex camera eye evolved independently in vertebrates and cephalopods?

What evidence suggests the complex camera eye evolved independently in vertebrates and cephalopods?

What process is the fundamental driving force behind the incredible diversity of life powered by evolution?

What process is the fundamental driving force behind the incredible diversity of life powered by evolution?

What is the raw material upon which natural selection acts?

What is the raw material upon which natural selection acts?

For natural selection to operate, what essential condition relates to passing traits from parent to offspring?

For natural selection to operate, what essential condition relates to passing traits from parent to offspring?

What must be present, stemming from a struggle for existence where offspring production exceeds environmental support?

What must be present, stemming from a struggle for existence where offspring production exceeds environmental support?

On which physical aspect of an organism does natural selection exert its direct sorting pressure?

On which physical aspect of an organism does natural selection exert its direct sorting pressure?

Although selection acts on individuals, where is the resulting evolutionary change observed?

Although selection acts on individuals, where is the resulting evolutionary change observed?

Which type of selection occurs when the intermediate phenotype is the most fit, selecting against traits at both extremes?

Which type of selection occurs when the intermediate phenotype is the most fit, selecting against traits at both extremes?

If the environment consistently shifts in one direction, causing the population's average trait value to move toward a new extreme, what selection mode is acting?

If the environment consistently shifts in one direction, causing the population's average trait value to move toward a new extreme, what selection mode is acting?

Which selection mode favors individuals at both phenotypic extremes while actively selecting against intermediate forms?

Which selection mode favors individuals at both phenotypic extremes while actively selecting against intermediate forms?

What is the immediate outcome where a trait becomes common in a population because it improves fitness under current living conditions?

What is the immediate outcome where a trait becomes common in a population because it improves fitness under current living conditions?