Video Transcript
Which feature of living organisms is the least important for individual survival? (A) Nutrition, (B) excretion, (C) reproduction, (D) sensitivity, or (E)
respiration.
Several life processes are essential for all living organisms to carry out to
survive. First, they must be sensitive to their surrounding environment and changes within
their internal environment so that they can respond appropriately. For example, if it gets too hot, an animal must be sensitive to that in order to
recognize the need to move to cooler ground or take in enough water.
Nutrition is also essential to life, as individuals must be able to obtain adequate
fuel for their cells to conduct cellular respiration, as well as for growth and
repair.
Cellular respiration itself is essential, as that is the only way that cells will get
the energy they need to continue life processes. Without cellular respiration happening, cells will simply die.
And then, as well as taking in food, organisms must also be able to excrete
waste. This prevents potentially toxic waste products from building up within the body,
which could lead to damage or even death.
Reproduction is another process common to all living species. While it is essential to the survival of the species that it persists for successive
generations, it is not essential to an individual’s survival, as the failure to
reproduce does not usually change the life expectancy of the individual. In fact, in some cases, reproduction can lower an individual’s life span. For example, some octopus die soon after mating and reproducing and will live longer
if they don’t reproduce.
If we look at the options provided for this question, we see that the only choice
that is not essential for survival is reproduction. So the correct answer is (C). The least important feature of living organisms for individual survival is
reproduction.
