Which of the following best describes the process of natural selection as proposed by Charles Darwin?

• A. All individuals in a population have an equal chance of surviving and reproducing, regardless of their traits.
• B. Traits acquired during an organism's lifetime are inherited by its offspring.
• C. Natural selection causes individuals to develop new traits in response to environmental changes.
• D. Individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits to the next generation.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of natural selection. Natural selection is a mechanism of evolution proposed by Charles Darwin. It explains how certain traits become more common in a population over generations due to their impact on survival and reproduction.
2. Step 2: Analyze the key principle of natural selection. Individuals in a population vary in their traits, and some of these traits provide an advantage in a specific environment. These advantageous traits increase the likelihood of survival and reproduction.
3. Step 3: Recognize that natural selection does not involve all individuals having an equal chance of survival. Instead, individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to the propagation of those traits in the next generation.
4. Step 4: Clarify misconceptions. Traits acquired during an organism's lifetime (e.g., learned behaviors or physical changes due to use) are not inherited. Additionally, natural selection does not cause individuals to develop new traits in response to environmental changes; it acts on existing variation within the population.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct description of natural selection is: 'Individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits to the next generation.' This aligns with Darwin's theory and the principles of evolutionary biology.