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nmdcat.online July 14, 2026

Which of the following scenarios best describes the concept of “differential reproductive success”?

A. All individuals in a population produce exactly two offspring that survive to adulthood.
B. Some individuals produce more viable, fertile offspring than others due to their adaptive phenotypes.
✓
C. A catastrophic volcanic eruption kills all organisms in a valley regardless of their traits.
D. Organisms with beneficial traits live longer but are completely sterile.

📝 Explanation

Differential reproductive success is the core of natural selection; it means that individuals with traits better suited to the environment leave more offspring behind than less-suited individuals.

📖 Additional Information

  • All individuals in a population produce exactly two offspring that survive to adulthood.
  • Some individuals produce more viable, fertile offspring than others due to their adaptive phenotypes.
  • A catastrophic volcanic eruption kills all organisms in a valley regardless of their traits.
  • Organisms with beneficial traits live longer but are completely sterile.

Differential reproductive success is the core of natural selection; it means that individuals with traits better suited to the environment leave more offspring behind than less-suited individuals.

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