Which of the following is a true statement about Charles Darwin?

• A. He developed the concept of genetic drift.
• B. He was the first to suggest that species change over time.
• C. He proposed the theory of natural selection as a mechanism for evolution.
• D. He discovered the laws of inheritance through pea plant experiments.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the context: Charles Darwin is a key figure in the field of evolutionary biology, known for his contributions to the understanding of how species evolve over time.
2. Identify the key concept associated with Darwin: Darwin is most famous for proposing the theory of natural selection, which explains how species adapt and evolve through differential survival and reproduction.
3. Differentiate between Darwin's contributions and other scientific concepts: Genetic drift and the laws of inheritance are important concepts in biology, but they are not attributed to Darwin. Genetic drift is a concept related to random changes in allele frequencies, while the laws of inheritance were discovered by Gregor Mendel through his work with pea plants.
4. Recognize the historical context: While Darwin was not the first to suggest that species change over time, he was the first to provide a robust scientific mechanism—natural selection—to explain how this change occurs.
5. Conclude with the correct statement: The true statement about Charles Darwin is that he proposed the theory of natural selection as a mechanism for evolution, distinguishing his work from other concepts like genetic drift and Mendel's laws of inheritance.