Which of the following statements about evolutionary adaptation is true?
A) An individual who has learned how to survive cold winters has become adapted to the cold.
B) A population that has an increase in frequency of alleles for thicker fur has become adapted to the cold.
C) Adaptation results when cold temperatures cause mutations for longer fur.
D) Adaptation is possible when all the alleles in a gene pool are the same.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Evolutionary adaptation occurs at the population level through the increase in frequency of favorable alleles. In this case, a population with increased frequency of alleles for thicker fur has become adapted to the cold. Learning by an individual is not a genetic change and does not lead to adaptation. Mutations may occur randomly, but only those that confer a survival advantage in a specific environment will increase in frequency over time. Uniformity in the gene pool reduces genetic diversity, which is necessary for adaptations to occur.

Which of the Following Statements About Evolutionary Adaptation Is True