Question

when the proportion of a gene for a specific trait in a population of finches increases over time, the most likely cause of this increase would be

1. selective breeding
2. species extinction
3. natural selection
4. ecological succession

Explanation:

• Selective breeding is human - driven, not the natural change in finch populations over time.
• Species extinction would decrease gene proportion, not increase it.
• Natural selection is the process where traits beneficial for survival and reproduction become more common in a population over time. For finches, if a gene - related trait helps them survive (e.g., beak shape for food access) better, the proportion of that gene would increase due to natural selection.
• Ecological succession is about changes in ecosystems, not gene proportion in a population.

Answer:

1. natural selection