Abstract
In this essay, the four main points in which Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection is based on are presented and explained: variation, inheritance, high rate of population growth and differential of survival and reproduction.
After this, and regarding the colleague’s previous answer about the topic, a relation is established between the factors that the colleague stated, being that a population’s distribution, density and abundance are intimately related to the four main points discussed earlier, of variation, inheritance, high rate of population growth and differential of survival and reproduction, helping one another to be able to happen within a certain specie’s population in a given environment.
Keywords: Darwin, natural, selection, species, reproduction, survival, characteristics, environment, advantage.
- The Four Main Points of Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection
Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection is founded on four main pillars that explain how the ecosystems’ different species and the individuals inside these evolve and become dominant, or survive, in detriment of others.
The first one is Variation, which defends that the organisms that live within a certain population have individual differences between them, both in appearance and in their behavior, which are related to the size of the body, their skin coverage color, specific marks on the face, special characteristics on their voice, or the offspring number. While this occurs, traits like eye number on vertebrates are ones that do not show any variation, or a very little one.
The next one is Inheritance, in which some of the traits discussed above are passed on through the next generations of offspring, being inherited, while others aside from these have their strongest influence in the environment where the species are, the conditions in which they live.
After that, comes the population growth in a high rate, which states that every population, having more offspring each year and this not being followed by the natural resources they need, will lead to survival struggle and an increase of mortality.
Finally, one talks about differential on survival and reproduction, in which the individuals that possess traits that show to be better suited to win the fight for the scarce resources will have a bigger contribution of offspring on the next generation that comes, since their survival chances are greater and those traits make them more fit in that ecosystem.
- Discussion of colleague’s answer
Taking into consideration the colleague’s answer, which talks about the starting and defining characteristics of a population living in a given environment, and then cites the four main points in which Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection stands on, one can take the next step and realize how these two interrelate with each other.
Indeed, the distribution, density and abundance of individuals of a given species in an environment are dictated by these four main pillars, which were also discussed above. Following those main points, one species that has certain characteristics can be found in places of the ecosystem where the environment presents the most propitious conditions for the individuals with those characteristics. These characteristics, being well adapted to that environment, given the resources that they have to survive, allow the individuals to be present in a larger number per are unit, in detriment of other, because their offspring number can also be bigger. Being those characteristics inherited through generations, that species continues to be abundant being observed in large numbers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection is based on the ideas of variation of characteristics inside the same species, inheritance of characteristics, a high rate of population growth when such characteristics express advantage to survive and differential of survival and reproduction, in which individuals with such characteristics survive and reproduce more.
Furthermore, and analyzing the colleague’s previous answer, one can easily see how the notions interrelate with each other, within the factors the colleague has pointed out; with this, one can establish that a population’s distribution, density and abundance are directly related and a consequence of the variation, inheritance, high rate of population growth and differential of survival and reproduction, and vice-versa, being able to exist and be observed because of one another in an intimate way.
