Evaluate this statement: Evolution is said to occur when new traits accumulate over time, increasing complexity.

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Welcome back. Let's look at our next question. It says. Which of the following is in accordance with the theory of evolution by natural selection. So let's just briefly recall what we mean by evolution by natural selection. And that refers to the change in inheritable traits characteristic of a population over generations due to the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype. So individuals with a phenotype that gives them an advantage in a given set of environmental circumstances are more likely to survive and reproduce and pass on those traits that can be inherited and that causes changes in those traits that are characteristic of the population over the generations. So let's look at our answer choices. Choice A says organisms with simpler traits are more likely to survive. Well this is not correct, organisms that have traits that give them an advantage in their particular environment are more likely to survive. Those might be simple. They might be complex whatever gives an advantage in the likelihood of survival and reproduction choice. B says ancestral traits always give an advantage for survival. Well this is not correct either. Um If the environment changes from what it was like in when the ancestral traits evolved, then those ancestral traits might not give an advantage any longer choice. C says predators and prey co evolved to survive, resulting in more complexity. Well this is correct as a prey animal say develops a trait um that gives it an advantage in escaping from its predator that will it will pass on that trait because it's more likely to survive and reproduce than the predator has to develop a trait that would give an advantage in catching more prey, allowing it to be more likely to survive and reproduce. So predators and prey co evolve these advantageous traits, giving them the more likelihood of surviving and reproducing. So that is a correct something that is in accordance with the theory of evolution by natural selection. And finally, Choice D. Says evolution among organisms is an independent process. Well, this is not correct, as we just described when talking about choice. See because when you have organisms that live in relationship to each other, their adaptations can affect one another. Something that makes a predator more efficient will disadvantage its prey and vice versa. Hope that helped. We'll see you in the next video.

Evaluate this statement: Evolution is said to occur when new traits accumulate over time, increasing complexity.

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Key Concepts

Evolution

Natural Selection

Complexity in Biology