Question

select the scenarios that describe diversifying selection. select the two answers that are correct.

• as the tree bark darkened during industrial times, the bodies of the butterflies in the forest areas also darkened.
• in a patchy underwater habitat, light - colored oysters blend into the rocks and dark - colored oysters blend into the shadows.
• the larger female insect lays more eggs, but the smaller female insect lives longer.
• in a species of butterfly, both the white - and black - winged adults are toxic to predators, but the gray - winged butterflies are not.
• in robins, laying too few eggs lowers viability of young and too many eggs leads to inability to provide sufficiently for young.

Explanation:

Diversifying selection favors extreme phenotypes over intermediate ones. Option B: Light and dark oysters (extremes) survive better than intermediate colors in patchy habitats. Option D: White/black-winged butterflies (extremes, toxic) are favored over gray-winged (intermediate, non-toxic). Other options show directional (A) or stabilizing (C, E) selection.

Answer:

B. In a patchy underwater habitat, light-colored oysters blend into the rocks and dark-colored oysters blend into the shadows., D. In a species of butterfly, both the white- and black-winged adults are toxic to predators, but the gray-winged butterflies are not.