Question

Please describe a genetically inherited phenotypic characteristic that can be considered an adaptation in Giraffes. Also, please explain how it might have evolved by the following: Its selective advantage, agents of selection, and fitness consequences. Please explain this in 3 or more paragraphs.

Answer 1

Darwin's theory of evolution suggested that animals adapt to their environment through the evolution of favorable traits. One such example is the long neck of giraffes. Long neck of giraffe is a genetically inherited phenotypic characteristic that can be considered an adaptation.

Ancestral giraffe population had variations in neck length. Individuals with longer neck took slective advantage over the others in terms of finding food sources. The survival of the fittest led to the genotypic inheritance of this favorable variation.Darwin proposed that a giraffe was born with a longer neck by random chance which inturn helped that individual to reach food sources which was not accessible to others.

The accessibility towards more food became an agent of slection which allowed the giraffe to live longer and to reproduce more compared to others. This ultimately led to the formation of more long necked giraffes because of its selective advantage over the others.Successive generations favored individuals with longer necks, which eventually led to the evolution of long necked giraffes as a fitness consequence.