TeXes Science Practice Test

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Which term is used to describe a 'unit of evolution'?

Phenotypes
Individuals
Genes
Populations

The correct answer is: Populations

The term 'unit of evolution' is most accurately described by populations. In the context of evolutionary biology, evolution occurs as changes in the genetic composition of populations over time through mechanisms such as natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow. While individuals and genes play significant roles in the process of evolution, it is at the population level that evolutionary change can be measured and observed. Individuals are subject to selection pressures and pass their genes to the next generation, but the evolutionary change manifests in the population as a whole. Therefore, populations serve as the primary unit of analysis when studying evolutionary processes.