What role does natural selection play in human diversity?

Natural selection plays a crucial role in human diversity by driving changes in allele frequencies within populations over time. This process occurs because individuals with certain traits that are better adapted to their environment have a higher chance of surviving and reproducing. As these individuals pass on their advantageous traits to their offspring, the frequency of specific alleles associated with those traits increases in the population.

This mechanism leads to variations in traits among different populations as they adapt to diverse environments. For example, variations in skin color can be influenced by the level of ultraviolet radiation in different geographic regions, with lighter skin being favored in areas with lower UV exposure. Over generations, natural selection effectively shapes the genetic landscape of human populations, contributing to the rich tapestry of human diversity observed today.