What is the definition of selective pressure?

Selective pressure refers to environmental factors that influence the survival and reproduction of individuals within a population. These factors can include elements such as availability of resources, predation, disease, competition, and climate conditions. By affecting which individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce, selective pressures play a critical role in the process of natural selection. This means that certain traits that enhance survival and reproductive success become more common in successive generations, leading to evolutionary changes within the population.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately reflect the definition of selective pressure. Random factors affecting genetics do not specifically pertain to the concept of selective pressures, as they imply chance rather than consistent environmental influences. A measure of genetic diversity also does not address the context of how environmental factors shape the evolutionary path of species. Therefore, identifying selective pressure as environmental influences on survival and reproduction highlights its essential role in the dynamic of natural selection and evolutionary biology.