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Multiple Choice
Which type of natural selection favors individuals with intermediate phenotypes, resulting in higher fitness compared to those with extreme phenotypes?
A
Directional selection
B
Stabilizing selection
C
Disruptive selection
D
Balancing selection
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of natural selection: Natural selection is a process where individuals with certain traits have higher survival and reproduction rates, leading to the prevalence of those traits in a population over time.
Review the types of natural selection: Directional selection favors one extreme phenotype, disruptive selection favors both extreme phenotypes, stabilizing selection favors intermediate phenotypes, and balancing selection maintains genetic diversity.
Focus on stabilizing selection: Stabilizing selection increases the fitness of individuals with intermediate phenotypes, reducing the prevalence of extreme phenotypes in the population.
Consider examples of stabilizing selection: Traits like human birth weight are often cited, where intermediate weights have higher survival rates compared to very low or very high weights.
Conclude that stabilizing selection is the type of natural selection described in the problem, as it favors intermediate phenotypes and results in higher fitness for those individuals.