How are descent with modification and natural selection related?

Question

Luna Cruz · Accepted Answer

They are similar in the way that both theories talk about only certain characteristics being passed down, either acquired over a lifetime or acquired due to variation in alleles.

According to Lamarck's Theory of Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics, any modifications or "changes an organism goes through during its life in order to adapt to its environment, those changed are passed on to its offspring." For instance, in a common scenario, a giraffe's neck may have grown to reach certain plants over time; these giraffes will then pass on their characteristics to their offspring, who will then have a long neck because their parent acquired it over time. Natural selection, on the other hand, is the result of organisms undergoing phenotypic mutations that change their traits as a result of interactions with their environment. Certain traits indicate that some organisms are more adapted to their surroundings and can survive longer, which enables them to procreate and pass on their genes to their progeny.

Sebastian Alvarado · Answer

undefined Descent with modification is the process of species gradually changing over time. Natural selection is the mechanism driving this process, favoring traits that enhance an organism's survival and reproduction. Together, they explain the adaptive evolution of species.