Question

question 4
antibiotic resistance is an example of which pattern of natural selection?
a stabilizing selection
b directional selection
c disruptive selection
d bifurcating selection
e intermediate selection

Explanation:

• Stabilizing selection: Favors intermediate phenotypes. Not relevant here as antibiotic resistance is about a shift.
• Directional selection: Shifts the population phenotype towards a new extreme. Antibiotics kill non - resistant bacteria, favoring resistant ones (a shift in phenotype).
• Disruptive selection: Favors extreme phenotypes over intermediate. Not the case for antibiotic resistance.
• Bifurcating selection: Not a standard term in natural selection (similar to disruptive).
• Intermediate selection: Not a recognized term in this context.

Answer:

B. directional selection