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According to Lamarckism, the basis of evolution is:

Correct answer: A. Inheritance of acquired characteristics

  • A. Inheritance of acquired characteristics
  • B. Mutation
  • C. Natural selection
  • D. Survival of the fittest

Explanation

According to Lamarck, these acquired traits could be passed on to offspring. This means that traits developed during an organism's lifetime could be inherited by the next generation.The inheritance of acquired characteristics is the idea that traits a parent organism develops during its lifetime can be passed on to its offspring, a concept famously associated with Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. For example, a giraffe stretching its neck to reach higher leaves would pass that longer neck to its young. This theory was largely discredited by modern genetics, which shows that acquired traits (like a broken bone or a suntan) do not change the DNA in reproductive cells and therefore cannot be inherited.

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About Evolution

Evolution describes heritable change in populations over generations through variation, natural selection and adaptation. Lamarckism explains inheritance of acquired characteristics, while Darwinism explains selection of favourable inherited variations; these historical explanations must not be confused with the modern genetic account of evolutionary change.

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