A Closer Look At Darwins Idea

of Natural Selection

Jarod Raithel
Mary Carroll High School
Honors Biology I
Spring 2007

Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

1) VARIATION: There is variation in
the traits of individuals within a
population

Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

1) Variations are inherited traits

Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

1) Ex: Color, beak shape

Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

2) FAVORABLE
TRAITS/ADAPTATIONS- Some
individuals survive and reproduce, some
dont

Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

2. Competition for resources (food, shelter,
space)

Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

2) Survival of the fittest- the ones better

adapted will survive

Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

3. REPRODUCTION- the ones that survive
will reproduce with a mate

Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

3) REPRODUCTION-Traits are inherited

from parents

4. FAVORABLE TRAITS ARE

PASSED ON
Favorable (good) traits are selected by
nature and passed from parents to offspring.

4. The good traits will spread to

the population over time
(evolution)

Examples of Natural Selection:

The Evolution of The Polar Bear
Our story begins with the Polar Bears
closest living relative the Brown Bear

The Evolution of The Polar Bear

Around 300,000 years ago a small group of
Brown Bears became reproductively
isolated from the rest of the population

The Evolution of The Polar Bear

This small founding
population of Brown
Bears were able to
survive and
reproduce living in
the Arctic Tundra.
After MANY
generations, a
random genetic
mutation occurred
...

The Evolution of The Polar Bear

Because of the genetic mutation, a litter of
Brown Bears exhibited WHITE coloration

The Evolution of The Polar Bear

How do you think the white fur color affected
these bears chances of surviving long
enough to have cubs of their own?

REMEMBER: Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

1) There is variation in the traits of

individuals within a population

REMEMBER: Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

2) There is differential survival and

reproduction, i.e., some individuals

survive and reproduce, some dont

REMEMBER: Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

2) There is differential survival and

reproduction, i.e., some individuals

survive and reproduce, some dont

X
X

X
X

REMEMBER: Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

3) Traits have a genetic basis, or are

inherited from parents

REMEMBER: Natural Selection Rests on 4 Premises:

4) Advantageous traits, which allows

organisms to have more offspring, will

become more common in the population
over time.

X
X

X
X

X
X
X

X
X
X
X

X X
X X
X

X
X

X
X

X
X

X
X

What Happened?

Through Reproductive Isolation and

Natural Selection . . .
One Species Evolved Into Another
New Species By Adapting To Its
New Environment

We see this trend again and again in the

Animal Kingdom . . .
Speciation by means of
Reproductive Isolation & Natural Selection!