Question

a population contains short plants and tall plants. the short plants are not able to compete with tall plants for sunlight. the tall plants, however, are more susceptible to wind damage. which type of selection will this population of plants most likely experience?
○ directional selection
○ disruptive selection
○ species selection
○ stabilizing selection

Explanation:

1. Recall the types of natural selection:

• Directional selection: Favors one extreme phenotype.
• Disruptive selection: Favors two extreme phenotypes, increasing variation.
• Species selection: Acts on species, not populations.
• Stabilizing selection: Favors intermediate phenotypes, reducing variation.

1. Analyze the plant population: Short plants struggle for sunlight (disadvantage), tall plants are susceptible to wind (disadvantage). Intermediate - height plants (not too short, not too tall) would be favored as they avoid both disadvantages. This matches stabilizing selection, which selects against extreme phenotypes and for the intermediate one.

Answer:

stabilizing selection