Natural selection is based on all of the following aspects EXCEPT
A) variation exists within populations.
B) the fittest individuals leave the most offspring.
C) there is differential reproductive success within populations.
D) the mechanism of evolution is the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
E) more offspring are produced than can be supported by the resources of the environment.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mechanism of evolution through natural selection does not involve the inheritance of acquired characteristics, a concept associated with Lamarckism, not Darwinian evolution. Natural selection is based on variation, differential reproductive success, and overproduction of offspring, not on individuals passing on traits they acquired during their lifetime.

Natural Selection Is Based on All of the Following Aspects