Lesson 15.

Natural Selection
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 Learning Competency

At the end of this lesson, the given DepEd learning

competency should be met by the students.

Explain the occurrence of evolution (S10LT-IIIg-40).

 Learning Objectives

At the end of this lesson, the learner should be able to

do the following:

● Discuss how natural selection serves as a key

mechanism of evolution.
● Explain how genetic drift also serves as an evolutionary
force.
There are different mechanisms
that are in place, and one of the
most important of these
mechanisms of evolution is
natural selection.

What is natural selection?

 Try it!
Warm-Up

A Game about Evolution and Survival

● Click the simulation to study how living organisms respond

to the changes in the environment.

NOVA: The Evolution Lab.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/labs/lab/evolution/
Learn about It

There are different processes that can

possibly lead to evolution. These are known
as natural selection and genetic drift.
 Learn about It

Natural Selection
● Organisms with favorable
traits have a greater
chance of survival and
reproduction compared
with those that do not
have the these traits.

Beaks of Galapagos finches vary with

their diet.
 Learn about It

Natural Selection
● High survival rate refers to
the capacity of an
organism to live for a
longer period of time.

● High reproductive success

rate refers to an increased
chance to pass genes Beaks of Galapagos finches vary with
during reproduction. their diet.
 Learn about It

Natural Selection
● For the process of natural
selection to occur, the traits
involved must confer some
sort of advantage to the
organisms depending on the
situation or habitat.

Peacock feathers are important

for attracting mate.
 Learn about It

Natural Selection
● For example, the
feathers of birds give
them many benefits.

● They can be used for

insulation, flight, and
attracting mating
partner. Peacock feathers are important
for attracting mate.
 Learn about It

Natural Selection
● Mammoths were enormous
wooly mammals that lived in
North America and the
northern part of Eurasia.

● They were adapted to cold

conditions by having thick
coats of hair. Thick fur was an adaptation of
mammoths to cold conditions.
 Learn about It

Natural Selection
● Through random mutation,
some individual mammoths
developed more hair than
other individuals.

● Those were able to tolerate

the more frigid conditions.
Thick fur was an adaptation of
mammoths to cold conditions.
 Learn about It

Natural Selection
● The survival of
mammoths with thicker
hair meant that they
were able to produce
more offspring than
those without it.

Mammoths were very well

adapted to freezing conditions.
 Learn about It

Survival of the Fittest?

● A common misconception is that natural selection is the
survival of the fittest.

● A more accurate term would be “survival of the fit”, as an

organism needs only be fit enough to be able to survive
and pass on it genes for adaptive traits to the succeeding
generations.
 Learn about It

Genetic Drift
● Genetic drift refers to the
change of allele frequencies
as a result of chance.

● The changes that take place

in a population are merely
brought about by chance
events. Genetic drift involves random
changes in gene frequencies.
 Learn about It

Genetic Drift
● In genetic drift, the cause of the
change in allele frequencies in
the populations is not because
of the advantage given by
adaptations, but by pure
chance.

Genetic drift involves random

changes in gene frequencies.
 Learn about It

Evolution
● Both genetic drift and natural selection can lead to
evolution of biological populations.

● The changes that organisms go through via genetic drift or

natural selection can lead to speciation.
 Key Points

● Natural selection is a process in which individual organisms that possess

favorable traits have greater survival rate and higher reproductive
success rate compared to organisms that do not have the trait.
○ For the process of natural selection to occur, the traits involved must
confer some sort of advantage to the organisms depending on the
situation or habitat.
○ Natural selection may or may not lead to evolution. Evolution may only
occur if certain traits have been passed on from parents to their
offspring.
○ Evolutionary change within a population does not necessarily mean that
there is natural selection.
 Key Points

● Genetic drift refers to the change of allele frequencies as a result of

chance. This may lead to the decrease in the frequency of some alleles and
can lead to the complete loss of alleles.
 Check Your Understanding

Determine if each of the following statements is

true or false.
1. Natural selection leads to genetic drift.
2. Genetic drift is required for evolution to occur.
3. Survival of the fittest accurately describes natural
selection.
4. Genetic drift happens due to a failed adaptation.
5. Adaptation is required for evolution to happen.
 Photo Credit

Slide 14. Woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) - Mauricio Antón by Mauricio Antón is licensed
under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.
 Bibliography

Baum, David et al. 2013. The Princeton Guide to Evolution. Princeton University Press.

College of the Redwoods. Beaupre-Riggs. “Lab 13: Evolution and Natural Selection.”
https://redwoods.instructure.com/courses/2715/files/126998.

Coyne, Jerry. 2009. “Why Evolution Is True.” Oxford University Press. Genetic Science Learning Center.

University of Utah. “Evolution of Corn.” Learn Genetics: Genetic Science Learning Center. Accessed
August 31, 2016. http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/selection/corn/.

Kück, Ulrich, and Nicole Frankenberg-Dinkel. 2015. Biotechnology. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG.