Which statement accurately describes the adaptations that result from natural selection?

• A. Adaptations occur in individual organisms during their lifetime.
• B. Adaptations are inherited traits that increase an organism's fitness in its environment.
• C. Adaptations are always beneficial in every environment.
• D. Adaptations arise because organisms want or need them to survive.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of natural selection: Natural selection is a process where organisms with traits that provide a survival or reproductive advantage are more likely to pass on those traits to the next generation. This leads to the development of adaptations over time.
2. Clarify the term 'adaptations': Adaptations are inherited traits that improve an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in a specific environment. These traits are encoded in the organism's DNA and passed down through generations.
3. Evaluate the first statement: 'Adaptations occur in individual organisms during their lifetime.' This is incorrect because adaptations are not acquired during an organism's lifetime; they are inherited traits that develop over generations through natural selection.
4. Evaluate the second statement: 'Adaptations are inherited traits that increase an organism's fitness in its environment.' This is correct because it aligns with the definition of adaptations as traits that enhance survival and reproduction in a given environment.
5. Evaluate the remaining statements: 'Adaptations are always beneficial in every environment' is incorrect because a trait beneficial in one environment may not be advantageous in another. 'Adaptations arise because organisms want or need them to survive' is also incorrect because adaptations result from genetic variation and selection pressures, not from an organism's desires or needs.