In the process of natural selection, which of the following steps occurs first?

In the process of natural selection, the first step is the overproduction of offspring with variation in traits. This is crucial because natural selection relies on the existence of genetic diversity within a population. When a species produces more offspring than the environment can support, it leads to competition for resources. Along with overproduction, the variations in traits among individuals—resulting from genetic differences, mutations, and other factors—are essential for natural selection to take place.

This variation means that some individuals may have traits that give them an advantage in surviving and reproducing in their specific environment. Therefore, without the initial step of overproduction and variation, there wouldn't be the necessary foundation for further steps in the natural selection process, such as differential survival or the preservation of genes from the most adapted individuals.