Question

What factors limit the evolution of new traits? Imagine a population of plants suddenly exposed to a new herbicide. What factors can determine whether or not the plant population becomes resistant to the herbicide?

Answer 1

Evolution basically means development which is a slow stage process that depends on adaptation to different environments. If an organism is adapting to a new environment then it will be reflected in its genes and that is passed on to its generations.

We have evolved from bacteria, which is because of evolutionary changes that resulted billions of years ago. Each and every organism of the Earth is interconnected and thats why we have such huge biodiversity.

Changes are continuously happening to evolve better and better. So environmental factors play a major role in evolution.

Natural selection is based on the fact that individuals which can survive and reproduce at any given environment is the most fit. Hence, all the individuals in a population selected by natural selection will be most fit which can pass on its traits to next generation to increase the population size.

Adaptation to new environment or to any given environment, the changes need to be at the genetic level where mutation occurs. A change or mutation brings about a new trait which can adapt to new environment. Hence, natural selection preserves that trait or genetic variation by selecting that best fit individual from other non-adaptable traits. And, it can directly means that it preserves more genetic variation or traits which are called survival of the fittest.

Therefore, genetic level changes or mutation can help the plant to adapt or develop resistance to the new herbicide. And, also the level of exposure to the new herbicide also matters.