Descent with modification is?

Correct answer: C. Evolution

  • A. Phyletic lineage
  • B. Mutation
  • C. Evolution
  • D. Biodiversity

Explanation

'Descent with modification' is a fundamental concept in Darwin's theory of evolution. It explains how species change over time, inheriting traits from a common ancestor with modifications due to natural selection and other evolutionary forces. Phyletic lineage describes the ancestral line but lacks the notion of evolving traits. Mutation is a source of genetic variation, crucial for evolution, but not equivalent to the whole process. Biodiversity highlights the variety of life forms, a result of evolution rather than the process itself.

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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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