ENV100Y5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Birth Rate, Organic Compound, Maximum Capacity

• School: UTM
• Department: Environment
• Course: ENV100Y5
• Professor: Barbara Murck

Document Summary

We refer specifically to biological evolution, which consists of genetic changes in organisms across generations. One of the best supported theories of all time. Natural selection is the process by which traits that enhance survival and reproduction are passed down more frequently to future generations, altering the genetic makeup of entire populations of organisms at a time. Organisms produce lots of offspring, not all survive. Individuals vary in their characteristics; some characteristics are accidental, but many characteristics are inherited by offspring from parents. The natural environment can be challenging; resources are limited and environmental change is common. Some individuals will be better adapted to succeed in challenging environment; as a result, they tend to live longer and produce more offspring. By producing more (or higher quality) offspring, better adapted individuals transmit more genes to future generations, and as a result the population as a whole will slowly shift its general characteristics.