Natural selection depends on the evolutionary processes of mutation, speciation, gene flow, and genetic drift Charles Darwin was one of the first to propose a mechanism by which evolution occurred, which he called natural selection.

The anthropological approach to exploring these questions is grounded in evolutionary theory. Natural selection is based on the premise that those with more favorable characteristics survive and reproduce at greater rates than those without them.

evolution — changes that appear in a species over time. Evolution is dependent on genetic variation and natural selection to pass on beneficial traits that will increase survival of the…. natural selection — the process by which a species that is able to adapt and to pass on beneficial traits to its offspring ensures survival of the species; first formally introduced by Charles Darwin. gene flow — alteration of the frequencies of alleles in a population that results from interbreeding with organisms from another population. mutation — a change in the structure of a gene that results in a variant form that may be transmitted to subsequent generations.