What conditions are needed for evolution by natural selection to arise?

Evolution by natural selection arises when these three properties are present in a system

  • Heredity - offspring resemble their parents in discrete characteristics.

  • Variation - there are heritable differences between individuals in the population.

  • Limited resources / overproduction - the presence of more offspring than the resources need to support them produces differential survival and selection pressure.

RA
Answered by Richard A. Biology tutor

2822 Views

See similar Biology A Level tutors

Related Biology A Level answers

All answers ▸

How is the heart beat controlled?


What is the difference between diffusion and active transport?


Describe three effects of smoking on the alveoli


What are the different types of epistasis?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning