Question

In disruptive selection, over time, what happens to the population?

1) the population is strongly selected for in one direction (e.g., larger beak size).
2) a population goes extinct.
3) the population is strongly selected for in two directions (e.g., larger beak size and smaller beak size).
4) the most extreme outliers of a population are eliminated (e.g., the largest beaks and smallest beaks are eliminated).
5) a population increases its variation (e.g., a wide selection of all beak sizes).

Answer 1

Disruptive selection is a type of natural selection in which extreme phenotypes at both ends of the phenotypic distribution are favored. This leads to increased population variation.

Step-by-step explanation:

In disruptive selection, the population is strongly selected for in two directions. This means that extreme phenotypes at both ends of the phenotypic distribution are favored by natural selection. As a result, the population becomes more diverse, with two overlapping phenotypes. An example of disruptive selection is sexual dimorphism, where males and females of the same species have different phenotypes such as height and body shape.