Evolution and Speciation · Paper 1 — Free Biology SL Practice Questions

Lamarck proposed that traits acquired during an organism's lifetime through use or disuse could be inherited by offspring. Which observation provides the strongest evidence against this hypothesis?

A species of land snail shows shell colour variation from pale yellow to dark brown. In areas with darker soil, dark brown shells are more common; in areas with lighter soil, pale yellow shells predominate. A student proposes that individual snails darken their shells during their lifetime in response to predation pressure, and that this darkening is inherited by their offspring. Which statement correctly identifies the key difference between the student's proposal and Darwin's theory of natural selection?