Question

Only variations that confer an advantage to an individual organism will survive in a population. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

Answer 1

We agree with the statement that only variations that confer an advantage to an individual organism will survive in a population. All the variations do not have an equal chance of surviving in the environment in which they find themselves. The chances of survival depend on the nature of variations. Different individuals would have different kinds of advantages. Bacteria that can withstand heat will survive better in a heat wave. Selection of variants and their suitability in the environment is a very important determinant and forms the crux of the evolutionary process - the crucial outcome of who leaves, who stays.