Types of Selection

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What is directional selection?

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Directional selection is a type of natural selection that favors one extreme phenotype over the mean or other extreme, leading to a shift in the population's traits in one direction.

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What is stabilizing selection?

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Stabilizing selection is a type of natural selection that favors intermediate variants and acts against extreme phenotypes, leading to a reduction in variation.

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What is disruptive selection?

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Disruptive selection is a type of natural selection that favors extreme phenotypes at both ends of the spectrum, leading to a split in the population.

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What are homologous structures?

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Homologous structures are body parts that share a common ancestry but may serve different functions in different species.

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What are analogous structures?

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Analogous structures are body parts that serve similar functions in different species but do not share a common ancestry.

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What is an example of directional selection in nature?

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An example of directional selection is the increase in size of the beaks of finches during droughts, where larger beaks are favored for accessing food.

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What is an example of stabilizing selection?

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An example of stabilizing selection is the birth weight of human babies, where very low or very high weights have higher mortality rates.

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What is an example of disruptive selection?

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An example of disruptive selection is the coloration of African seedcracker birds, where individuals with either very large or very small beaks are favored.

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How does natural selection lead to evolution?

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Natural selection leads to evolution by favoring individuals with advantageous traits, allowing them to reproduce and pass those traits to the next generation.

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What is the role of genetic variation in selection?

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Genetic variation provides the raw material for natural selection, allowing populations to adapt to changing environments.