Our example here tells us that evolution and natural selection are related concepts and can be difficult to separate completely. We want to read the following statements and decide whether the statement is more directly related to the concept of evolution or the concept of natural selection. For concepts relating to natural selection, write ns. For those relating to evolution, write e. Alright.
So let's try and remember how natural selection and evolution are different from each other, and let's look at these statements. Our first statement says a caterpillar that is camouflaged is more likely to reproduce because it is less likely to be eaten by a bird. So what do you think? Natural selection or evolution? Well, we're talking here about the likelihood it is to reproduce because of how likely it is to survive, and that likelihood is based on a trait.
It's camouflage. And so I can surmise that it's more likely to reproduce. It's going to pass that camouflage on to the next generation. All that sounds like I'm describing natural selection. Alright.
Next up, we have the closest living relatives of birds are alligators and crocodiles. Therefore, we expect birds to share many traits with reptiles. What do you think? Evolution or natural selection? Well, to me, this sounds like we are talking about common descent.
This idea that things share common ancestors. Birds and alligators are related to each other because they have a common ancestor, so we expect them to share some traits. That's all tied up in that concept of evolution. Alright. Our next one here says that fossil data indicates that early ancestors of modern horses were less than a half a meter tall.
And a trend in horse evolution is that horse ancestors got larger over time. Alright. First off, I just think it's fun to think of little half meter tall horses running around, but let's think natural selection or evolution. Alright. To me, this sounds very much like descent with modification.
Right? We're talking about the ancestors of horses. That's that idea of descent. But they've changed over time. They've been modified.
Descent with modification. That is evolution. Alright. Our next one here, it says, When thinking of fitness, attracting mates can be just as important as surviving. What do you think?
Evolution or natural selection? Well, when we're thinking about fitness, we said fitness was the likelihood to reproduce. Here, we're talking about that likelihood. Well, attracting mates is just as important or maybe more important than surviving sometimes. But that is all tied into that idea of natural selection.
The things that reproduce the most will pass their traits on to the next generation. So I'm putting the ns on this one. Our final one here says dandelion seeds are able to travel great distances in the wind. The dandelions whose seeds travel the farthest have the best chance of spreading their offspring widely. What do you think?
Evolution or natural selection. So, again, we're talking about how likely it is for these things to reproduce and for the offspring of that reproduction to be successful. That's all tied into that idea of natural selection. All right. Again, we're going to be looking at evolution and natural selection, both of them very closely going forward.
But we can practice this some more and practice problems coming up. Check them out.