Why do people spend their whole lives studying evolution and natural selection? Studying evolutionary biology tells us a lot about where we came from, as well as where we are going, as a species. Additionally, it tells us a whole lot about how we got to the vast diversity of organisms we see today. Each organism didn’t just happen to show up by chance. They changed and kept on evolving over many years to get where they are today. By studying evolution, we can use this information in many practical ways such as to see how organisms react to environmental change, how we can most effectively manage conservation efforts, and to learn more about antibiotic resistance.
With all that being said, why does our misconception matter? By acknowledging the fact that the the fittest organisms in a population are NOT always those that are strongest, healthiest, fastest, and/or largest, we get to see how their populations have evolved over time, and how to study what factors are most important to that species in order to reproduce and survive throughout generations. This has many implications that will ultimately help us in conservation efforts of species that are threatened or endangered.
If you are feeling like you get this concept or want to learn more, there was a great article published in Nature Reviews Genetics called “Fitness and its role in evolutionary genetics.” This is just one example of why studying evolution and fitness is important. Follow the link here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2753274/
Literature cited:
Orr H.A. Fitness and its role in evolutionary genetics. Nat. Rev. Genet. 2009;10:531–539
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