NEET BIOLOGY

GENETICS AND EVOLUTION

EVOLUTION

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Over time, the length of giraffes’ necks changed slightly to allow them to reach taller trees. How should this change be classified?
A
mutation
B
adaptation
C
acquired trait
D
genetic constant
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -This is ‘natural selection’. Consider the giraffe, for example. A Darwinian theory of evolution posits that it was through random variation that some giraffes had longer necks than others. Thanks to their long necks, they were able to reach leaves high up in the trees in their environment.

Detailed explanation-2: -Since the days of Charles Darwin, the long necks of giraffes have been a textbook example of evolution. The theory goes that as giraffe ancestors competed for food, those with longer necks were able to reach higher leaves, getting a leg-or neck-up over shorter animals.

Detailed explanation-3: -Charles Darwin held up giraffes as a prime example of natural selection, his theory that’s often summarized as “survival of the fittest.” Giraffes with comparably longer necks could reach food high up in trees, which gave them an advantage over other animals and members of their own species with shorter necks.

Detailed explanation-4: -Why are giraffe necks not perfectly suited for their function? Like all mammals, giraffes only have 7 vertebrae in their necks which limits their flexibility.

There is 1 question to complete.