Imagine two plant species with closely related DNA sequences. A new herbicide is introduced in their environment. One species develops resistance much faster than the other. This scenario suggests that:
1
Natural selection plays a crucial role in determining which variations become prevalent.
2
The faster-evolving species has a higher mutation rate in its DNA replication.
3
The slower-evolving species must have deficiencies in its DNA repair mechanisms.
4
Both factors, mutation rate and selection pressure, contribute to the observed differential adaptation.