What does natural selection begin weeding out when invaders like the zebra mussel rapidly colonize new areas?
Answer
Individuals less suited to the new conditions
As natural selection takes hold in a new environment following rapid colonization by an invasive species, the primary mechanism involves differential survival based on fitness relative to the new selective regime. This means that individuals within the founder population whose specific characteristics or traits do not align well with the immediate survival requirements—whether related to temperature, food availability, predation, or water chemistry—are less likely to reproduce successfully. Over successive generations, this weeding-out process results in a shift in the population characteristics toward those best adapted to the specific features of the invaded basin.
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