Explain how a new species or variety can originate through the evolutionary process of natural selection?
1 Answer
A change in the environment can favor one existing variety over another existing variety Natural selection can cause the extinction of the non favored varieties.
Explanation:
An example of natural selection is the change in squirrels on either side of the Grand Canyon. The squirrels originally were thought to have been part of a single breeding population. Because of the geological isolation created by the chasm of the Grand Canyon the original population was divided into two populations or varieties.
The squirrels on the North rim are larger, have thicker fur and a darker color than the squirrels on the South rim. The climate on the North Rim is colder favoring the squirrels that have thicker fur, are larger, and can absorb more heat with their darker fur. The varieties of squirrels that were smaller, had thinner fur and lighter color have become extinct on the North Rim.
In time these two varieties might become incapable of interbreeding and become two different species due to natural selection.
Natural Selection can not create new varieties , novel structures, or more complexity. Natural selection can only cause the extinction of the less well adapted varieties. The action of natural selection combined with isolation can create two species out of one. Natural selection does not create anything new.
