Which statement about evolution is true?

• A. Evolution always leads to organisms becoming more complex.
• B. Evolution is a process that only occurs in animals, not plants or microorganisms.
• C. Individual organisms evolve during their lifetimes.
• D. Evolution results from changes in allele frequencies within a population over time.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of evolution: Evolution refers to the change in the genetic composition of populations over successive generations, driven by mechanisms such as natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow.
2. Clarify the misconception that evolution always leads to complexity: Evolution does not necessarily result in organisms becoming more complex. It depends on environmental pressures and the traits that enhance survival and reproduction in a given context.
3. Address the misconception that evolution only occurs in animals: Evolution is a universal process that affects all living organisms, including plants, microorganisms, and fungi, as they all undergo genetic changes over time.
4. Explain why individual organisms do not evolve: Evolution occurs at the population level, not within individual lifetimes. Individual organisms may experience changes, but these are not evolutionary changes; evolution involves changes in allele frequencies within a population over generations.
5. Define the correct statement: Evolution results from changes in allele frequencies within a population over time. Alleles are different forms of a gene, and shifts in their frequencies occur due to evolutionary mechanisms, shaping the traits of populations over time.