nmdcat.online
BIO NMDCAT Darwinism
nmdcat.online July 14, 2026

In evolutionary terms, what is the role of “randomness” in the process of natural selection?

A. Natural selection is a completely random process from start to finish.
B. The occurrence of genetic mutations that generate variation is random, but the selection of advantageous traits by the environment is highly non-random.
✓
C. The environment selects individuals completely at random, regardless of their phenotypes.
D. There is no randomness; mutations occur exactly when they are needed by the organism.

📝 Explanation

Mutation and variation generation are random events, but natural selection is a non-random sorting process that systematically favors traits that confer a reproductive advantage.

📖 Additional Information

  • Natural selection is a completely random process from start to finish.
  • The occurrence of genetic mutations that generate variation is random, but the selection of advantageous traits by the environment is highly non-random.
  • The environment selects individuals completely at random, regardless of their phenotypes.
  • There is no randomness; mutations occur exactly when they are needed by the organism.

Mutation and variation generation are random events, but natural selection is a non-random sorting process that systematically favors traits that confer a reproductive advantage.

🔗 Share This Question

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

🧭 Navigate Questions

Previous Question

How does the concept of "the struggle for existence" relate to carrying capacity (K) in ecology?

Next Question

If we say an organism has "high evolutionary fitness," we mean that:

Back to All Questions

🔗 Related MCQs

An increase in the incidence of ectopic pregnancies within a population can often be epidemiologically correlated with a prior increase in the prevalence of which sexually transmitted disease?
July 16, 2026
In the life cycle of Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2), the virus travels along nerve fibers to reach the sensory ganglia. The cellular mechanism responsible for this retrograde transport utilizes:
July 16, 2026
A defining characteristic of the lesions associated with the secondary stage of syphilis is that they:
July 16, 2026
The causative agent of genital herpes, HSV-2, is enveloped. The biological significance of this viral envelope in the context of transmission is that it makes the virus:
July 16, 2026
The structural basis for the severe cardiovascular complications seen in tertiary syphilis, such as aortic aneurysms, is the chronic inflammation and destruction of:
July 16, 2026

Categories

View all →