Q.44 Botany ⭐ 360° Option Elimination Active

NEET 2020 Botany Question 44 Solution

Topic: Evolution · Official NTA Booklet Code E1

Question

Which of the following refer to correct example(s) of organisms which have evolved due to changes in environment brought about by anthropogenic action? (a) Darwin's Finches of Galapagos islands. (b) Herbicide resistant weeds. (c) Drug resistant eukaryotes. (d) Man-created breeds of domesticated animals like dogs.

(1)only (a)
(2)(a) and (c)
(3)(b), (c) and (d)
(4)only (d)

✓

Verified Against NTA Final Answer Key

Option (3) : (b), (c) and (d)

📚 Evolution Easy

📋 Given Parameters & Problem Setup

Example (a) Darwin's Finches of Galapagos islands

Example (b) Herbicide resistant weeds

Example (c) Drug resistant eukaryotes

Example (d) Man-created breeds of domesticated animals like dogs

Question Objective Identify which examples represent evolution by anthropogenic (human) action

⚡

The 30-Second Exam Hall Shortcut: ⚡ "Anthropogenic = Human-Driven! Finches Are Natural Adaptive Radiation!"

⏱️ 30 seconds

Darwin's finches (a) evolved by natural adaptive radiation in the wild without human intervention. Herbicide resistance (b), drug resistance (c), and artificial animal breeding (d) are direct results of human activities (anthropogenic action). Correct answer is (b), (c) and (d) (Option 3)!

1 Anthropogenic means caused or produced by human activity.

2 Darwin's finches (a) = Natural adaptive radiation (exclude a).

3 Herbicide resistance (b), drug resistance (c), and artificial breeding (d) = Anthropogenic evolution.

4 Match combination: (b), (c) and (d) -> Option 3.

🛡️

Why You Can 100% Trust This Shortcut: NCERT Biology · Evolution (Evolution by Anthropogenic Action: Pesticides, Drugs & Artificial Selection)

📐

Step-by-Step Rigorous Workflow & Mathematical Proof

Step 1

Define Anthropogenic Action in Evolution

Evolution by anthropogenic action refers to evolutionary changes and adaptations in organisms driven, accelerated, or mediated by human activities, such as artificial selection, environmental pollution, pesticide overuse, and antibiotic drug pressure.

Step 2

Evaluate Darwin's Finches (a)

Darwin's finches on the Galapagos islands diversified from a common ancestral seed-eating stock through natural adaptive radiation into diverse ecological niches, completely independent of human influence.

Step 3

Evaluate Chemical and Drug Resistances (b and c)

Excessive and uncontrolled human application of chemical herbicides and antiparasitic/antibiotic drugs has led to directional selection favoring resistant strains of weeds and resistant eukaryotes/microbes (e.g., chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium, antibiotic-resistant bacteria) within months or years. These are classic anthropogenic evolutionary cases highlighted in NCERT.

Step 4

Evaluate Artificial Dog Breeds (d)

Humans have artificially bred and selected various domesticated animal breeds (dogs, cattle, horses) over hundreds of years, representing classic artificial selection by anthropogenic action.

Step 5

Combine Correct Letters

Statements (b), (c), and (d) are all unambiguous examples of evolution brought about by anthropogenic action.

⭐

360° Option Elimination Engine Key Feature

Diagnose every choice: Know exactly why the right option works and why distractors fail.

4-Option Deep Scan

1 A

✗ Incorrect

Verdict & Scientific Reason:

Incorrect; Darwin's finches evolved by natural adaptive radiation, not anthropogenic action.

⚠️

Student Fallacy (Why candidates pick this trap): Misunderstanding the term "anthropogenic" as general evolution.

2 B

✗ Incorrect

Verdict & Scientific Reason:

Incorrect; erroneously includes (a) and omits (b) and (d).

⚠️

Student Fallacy (Why candidates pick this trap): Failing to distinguish natural ecological diversification from human-induced selection.

3 C

✓ 100% Correct

Verdict & Scientific Reason:

Factually exact; herbicide-resistant weeds, drug-resistant eukaryotes, and man-created dog breeds are all products of anthropogenic selection.

💡

Why this is airtight: None; matches the explicit examples provided in NCERT evolution chapter.

4 D

✗ Incorrect

Verdict & Scientific Reason:

Incorrect; incomplete because herbicide resistance and drug resistance are also prominent anthropogenic evolutionary adaptations.

⚠️

Student Fallacy (Why candidates pick this trap): Assuming anthropogenic action only applies to deliberate artificial breeding of pets.

⚠️

NTA Trap Alert: Adaptive Radiation vs Anthropogenic Selection

Darwin's finches and Australian marsupials are ADAPTIVE RADIATION. Industrial melanism in moths, pesticide/herbicide resistance, antibiotic resistance, and artificial breeding are ANTHROPOGENIC ACTION.

🛡️ How to avoid the -1 mark: Ask yourself: Did human activity cause the selection pressure? If yes = Anthropogenic. If wild nature = Natural adaptive radiation!

📖

Core NEET Syllabus Standard

Botany · Evolution Standard Benchmark

Core Scientific Principle Tested:

Syllabus Focus: Evolution by Anthropogenic Action vs Natural Adaptive Radiation

✓ Core NEET UG Syllabus Anchor Syllabus & Academic Standards ↗

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NEET 2020 Botany Question 44 Solution

Question

The 30-Second Exam Hall Shortcut: ⚡ "Anthropogenic = Human-Driven! Finches Are Natural Adaptive Radiation!"

Step-by-Step Rigorous Workflow & Mathematical Proof

Define Anthropogenic Action in Evolution

Evaluate Darwin's Finches (a)

Evaluate Chemical and Drug Resistances (b and c)

Evaluate Artificial Dog Breeds (d)

Combine Correct Letters

360° Option Elimination Engine Key Feature

NTA Trap Alert: Adaptive Radiation vs Anthropogenic Selection

Core NEET Syllabus Standard

Ready to attempt under real exam pressure?

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