Variation as fuel for evolutionary change from "summary" of On the Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection by Charles Darwin
Variation is a fundamental aspect of the natural world, serving as the raw material upon which the process of natural selection acts. Without variation in the characteristics of individuals within a population, there would be no basis for evolutionary change to occur. It is through the presence of variation that species are able to adapt to changing environments and pressures, ultimately leading to the development of new traits and the emergence of new species. The concept of variation as fuel for evolutionary change can be best understood in the context of natural selection. In any given population, there exists a range of variation in traits such as size, color, and behavior. This variation is the result of genetic differences among individuals, which arise through processes such as mutation and recombination. It is this variation that provides the diversity necessary for natural selection to operate. Natural selection is the process by which individuals with traits that are better su...
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