What is the best explanation for the change in green anoles' toe pads over time?

• A. Mutations in toe pad genes always result in larger toe pads, regardless of environmental conditions.
• B. Green anoles intentionally changed their toe pads in response to environmental challenges.
• C. Natural selection favored individuals with larger toe pads, allowing them to better grip smooth surfaces and survive in their environment.
• D. Genetic drift randomly increased the frequency of larger toe pads in the population, regardless of environmental pressures.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Begin by understanding the concept of natural selection. Natural selection is a process where individuals with traits that provide a survival or reproductive advantage are more likely to pass those traits to the next generation. Over time, this leads to the prevalence of advantageous traits in a population.
2. Step 2: Analyze the environmental challenge faced by green anoles. In this case, smooth surfaces in their environment may have made it difficult for individuals with smaller toe pads to grip effectively, reducing their chances of survival and reproduction.
3. Step 3: Consider the role of genetic variation. Within the population of green anoles, there would have been individuals with varying toe pad sizes due to genetic differences. Those with larger toe pads had a better ability to grip smooth surfaces, giving them a survival advantage.
4. Step 4: Understand how natural selection acts on these variations. Over generations, individuals with larger toe pads were more likely to survive and reproduce, passing the genes for larger toe pads to their offspring. This led to an increase in the frequency of larger toe pads in the population.
5. Step 5: Compare natural selection to other mechanisms like genetic drift or intentional change. Genetic drift is a random process and does not depend on environmental pressures, while intentional change is not biologically possible. Natural selection is the most plausible explanation for the observed change in toe pads, as it directly relates to the environmental challenge and survival advantage.