Question

while walking to school, you step on a group of beetles, randomly killing a majority of the green ones but leaving most of the brown ones alive. this results in fewer green beetles being produced in the population. what factor will influence the evolution of these beetles?
natural selection
genetic drift
mutations
migration

in relation to evolution, natural selection is the
mechanism (the how)
purpose. (the why)
mutation. (one form)
all of the above

Explanation:

First Question (Beetle Evolution Factor)

Genetic drift is a random change in allele frequencies due to chance events (like stepping on beetles, a random event). Natural selection involves non - random selection based on fitness, mutations are new genetic variations, and migration is movement of individuals. Here, the random killing of green beetles (a chance event) affecting allele frequencies is genetic drift.

Natural selection is the mechanism (how) evolution occurs, acting on heritable traits to favor those that increase survival/reproduction. It's not a purpose (evolution has no purpose) or a mutation (mutations are genetic changes, natural selection acts on them).

Answer:

B. genetic drift

Second Question (Natural Selection in Evolution)