Question

Explain what it is that selection is actually acting on and how such variation is distributed throughout a population (gene pool) (blending vs. independent assortment). Dawkins suggests that selection is powerful yet unconscious of it's actions ("without any understanding at all"). He uses a variety of examples to highlight how various organisms drive selection, sometimes consciously and sometimes unconsciously, by mediating the breeding process. Using one of the examples explain how some organisms unconsciously drive the selection of others.

Answer 1

Selection acts on the variations in the populations which are responsible for increasing or decreasing the fitness of the individuals carrying them.

Variations from one generation to another are distributed in population following Mendelian genetics. Like the law of independent assortment where variations are transferred independently of each other. When blending inheritance was discarded where traits were thought to be average of that of parents of progeny , which was not the case in many cases.

One example of unconscious selection is the loss of various traits like  loss of natural dispersal mechanisms, even and rapid seed germination, larger propagules, simultaneous ripening, and loss of mechanical protection as well as changes in the breeding system. This loss or selection on these traits while selecting for other traits like more yield and water efficiency , resistance to diseases etc. This unconscious selection associated with other selection by humans is unconscious.