Which set correctly lists the four components required for natural selection to occur in a population?

• A. Mutation, genetic drift, gene flow, and nonrandom mating
• B. Variation, heritability, overproduction of offspring, and differential survival and reproduction
• C. Adaptation, speciation, gene flow, and extinction
• D. Variation, heritability, differential survival and reproduction, and time

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that natural selection requires certain key components to operate within a population. These components ensure that some individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce than others based on their traits.
2. Step 2: Identify the first component: Variation. This means individuals in the population must differ in some heritable traits, providing the raw material for selection.
3. Step 3: Recognize heritability as the second component. The traits that vary must be passed from parents to offspring genetically, so advantageous traits can accumulate over generations.
4. Step 4: Consider differential survival and reproduction as the third component. Some individuals must survive and reproduce more successfully than others due to their traits, leading to changes in the population's genetic makeup.
5. Step 5: Include overproduction of offspring as the fourth component. More offspring are produced than can survive, creating competition and allowing natural selection to favor certain traits.