Question

Darwin and Wallace’s theory of evolution by natural selection failed to explain how
Statement 1: Nature operates to reduce variations in a population every generation.
Statement 2: New genetic variations can appear in a population every generation.
Statement 3: Variations lead to evolution, useful variations are transmitted to the next generation and other variations are eliminated.

Choose the correct option

• A. Statement 1 only
• B. Statement 2 only
• C. Statement 3 only
• D. Statement 1 and 3

Answer 1

The correct option is B Statement 2 only

The theory of Darwin and Wallace - 'Evolution by natural selection' explains how nature selects the best fitted individual and passes the genes to the next generation. The traits that give them more advantage are more likely to survive and reproduce. The 'fit' organisms transmit their useful variations to their offspring while non-useful ones are eliminated.

But, how genetic variations appear in a population every generation was not explained by them. In 1900, 34 years after the death of Mendel, his findings were rediscovered which explains the fundamental basis of heredity and genetics and the underlying principles of variation.