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Natural Selection and Evolution Evolution
Natural Selection and Evolution Evolution
Natural Selection and Evolution Evolution
Evolution – It is a gradual change in the range of organisms where new species rise from the
existent species.
Natural selection – It is the mechanism by which new species arrive. Here, different forms of a
species in time become so different that they become a completely different species.
Species – It is a group of individuals that share common genes and can interbreed to produce
fertile offspring.
The biologists Darwin and Wallace both agreed that only the organisms which are best adapted
to their environment are more likely to survive. They ‘fit’ their environment better.
For instance, the peppered moth has two forms. They adapted themselves in different situations.
They camouflaged themselves and took the dark shape in cities to match with the dark sooty
trees so that they couldn’t be seen easily by predatory birds.
Animals with variation enabled them to survive even the toughest conditions. They compete for
food and eat better than other animals of their own species and so they survive and others die.
They reproduce, passing on their genes to the next generation and their numbers increase with
each generation. Sometimes, they even develop special organs or body parts for survival
(survival of the fittest).
Here we have two insects that demonstrate natural selection in a different way. Usually a
hoverfly is a brightly-coloured insect that look like bees or wasps, they are in fact true flies and
do not sting. Hoverflies are excellent examples of mimicry. They generally mimic bees and
wasps – insects that sting and also taste unpleasant, so are avoided by predators.
Hoverfly Wasp
Antibiotics – Antibiotics are chemicals that are used to reduce growth of fungus and bacteria.
Since the discovery of the first antibiotic, penicillin by Alexander Fleming, there have been
productions of numerous antibiotics by different companies. These antibiotics are now regularly
used even for simple problems. But their effects are unknown to us all. Frequent use of
antibiotics may cause resistance in the pests.