Definition: A process by which heritable traits conferring survival and reproductive advantage to individuals, or related individuals, tend to be passed on to succeeding generations and become more frequent in a population, whereas other less favourable traits tend to become eliminated; the differential survival and reproduction of phenotypes.
Alright class, settle down, let’s dive in today! We've got a really important word here: selection . Now, you might see it written out quite formally in your dictionary – and trust me, that’s a very detailed definition! Let’s break it down into something easier to understand. Think of it like this: imagine a forest filled with deer. Some deer are faster, some have thicker coats, some are better at spotting predators. These differences – these traits - make them more likely to survive and have babies that also share those helpful traits. That’s natural selection in action! It's the process where: “Heritable traits” – These are things passed down from parents to children, like eye color or how fast you can run. "Survival and reproductive advantage" - Traits that help an animal live longer and have more babies are favored! "Pass on to succeeding generations" – Those helpful traits get spread around. “More frequent in a population” – Over time, the group of deer will have more fast deer and thick-coated deer than slow or thin ones. And what about the less favorable traits? Well, if they don't help you survive and reproduce, they tend to disappear, like a fading rhyme! Essentially, selection is all about differentiation . It’s nature "choosing" which characteristics are best suited for an environment – it’s not deliberate , but it has a powerful effect over long periods of time. Does that make sense? Now, who can give me a simple example of natural selection they've heard about? Don’t be shy!