Question

question 22 of 25
which two statements are true about natural selection?

a. it causes the development of new traits in individuals.
b. it changes the frequencies of alleles in a population.
c. it leads to increased mutations in an individuals offspring.
d. it acts on existing genetic variation in a population.
submit

Explanation:

Natural selection is a mechanism of evolution. It acts on the existing genetic variation (different alleles) within a population. As individuals with certain alleles are more likely to survive and reproduce (due to having traits that are better - suited to the environment), over time, the frequencies of those alleles increase in the population. Mutations (which can create new traits) occur randomly and are not caused by natural selection. Natural selection acts on the variation that already exists in the population, not on creating new traits in individuals in a directed way.

Answer:

B. It changes the frequencies of alleles in a population.
D. It acts on existing genetic variation in a population.