What is the result of stabilizing selection on a population's traits?

What is the result of stabilizing selection on a population's traits?

• A. Increased variability in traits
• B. Extreme traits become more common
• C. Average traits become more prevalent
• D. All traits are equally favored

Answer: (C)

Stabilizing selection is a type of natural selection that favors the average or intermediate traits within a population while selecting against extreme variations. This process occurs because individuals with average traits tend to have a higher fitness and better survival rates in a stable environment. For example, in a species of birds where individuals with average-sized wings are more effective at flying and finding food, those birds are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with very small or very large wings. As a result, over time, stabilizing selection leads to a decrease in variability as the traits that promote better survival become more common in the population. The overall effect is that the proportion of individuals exhibiting these average traits increases, demonstrating that stability in the environment favors consistency in physical characteristics.

Stabilizing selection is a type of natural selection that favors the average or intermediate traits within a population while selecting against extreme variations. This process occurs because individuals with average traits tend to have a higher fitness and better survival rates in a stable environment. For example, in a species of birds where individuals with average-sized wings are more effective at flying and finding food, those birds are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with very small or very large wings.

As a result, over time, stabilizing selection leads to a decrease in variability as the traits that promote better survival become more common in the population. The overall effect is that the proportion of individuals exhibiting these average traits increases, demonstrating that stability in the environment favors consistency in physical characteristics.