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:
○ speciation
○ adaptation
○ evolution
○ natural selection
○ mutation

Explanation:

The scenario describes environmental changes (seas receding, land becoming fertile) leading to some animals surviving and reproducing better. Natural selection refers to the process where organisms with traits suited to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on those traits, which matches the example. Speciation is the formation of new species, adaptation is a trait aiding survival, evolution is long-term change, and mutation is a genetic change—none fit as directly as natural selection here.

Answer:

natural selection