Natural Selection

Question

The use, overuse, and abuse of antibiotics are accredited with creating antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Explain how this relates to natural selection.

Answer 1

Natural selection is a process which occurs due to the concept of 'survival of the fittest'. When antibiotics are introduced, bacteria which are not resistant to the antibiotics will die off, leaving behind bacteria which are more resistant to the antibiotic.

Over a long period of time with an overuse of antibiotics, large populations of bacteria will be exposed to antibiotics and the surviving, antibiotic-resistant bacteria will reproduce. This leads to a greater number of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

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