A frog produces more offspring than can survive on the available resources. Which concept does this best illustrate in the context of natural selection?

• A. Adaptive radiation
• B. Artificial selection
• C. Overproduction of offspring
• D. Genetic drift

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of 'Overproduction of offspring': In the context of natural selection, overproduction refers to organisms producing more offspring than the environment can support with its available resources, such as food, shelter, and space.
2. Relate overproduction to competition: When there are more offspring than resources, individuals must compete for survival. This competition drives natural selection, as only the fittest individuals are likely to survive and reproduce.
3. Differentiate 'Overproduction of offspring' from other concepts: Adaptive radiation refers to the diversification of species into different ecological niches, artificial selection involves human intervention in breeding, and genetic drift is a random change in allele frequencies. None of these directly describe the production of excess offspring.
4. Connect overproduction to survival and reproduction: Overproduction ensures that even if many offspring do not survive, some will carry on the genetic traits of the parents, increasing the likelihood of advantageous traits being passed on.
5. Summarize the role of overproduction in natural selection: Overproduction is a key mechanism that drives natural selection by creating a scenario where only the most adapted individuals survive and reproduce, shaping the evolution of species over time.