Question

in the late devonian era, the seas began to recede and the land became more fertile. these environmental changes resulted in the emergence of land - dwelling vertebrates. some animals are better able to survive and reproduce under changing environmental conditions. this is an example of:
○ adaptation
○ speciation
○ natural selection
○ evolution
○ mutation

Explanation:

The scenario describes environmental changes (seas receding, land becoming fertile) leading to some animals surviving and reproducing better than others—this matches the core of natural selection, where environmental pressures favor individuals with advantageous traits for survival and reproduction. Adaptation refers to the trait itself, speciation is the formation of new species, evolution is the long-term change in populations, and mutation is a genetic change; none directly describe the differential survival/reproduction driven by environment here.

Answer:

C. natural selection