Question

question 9
what happens to a population in stabilizing selection?
all of the population shifts toward one of the extremes of a trait.
there is an even distribution of fitness for all forms of the trait in a population.
the population with the median form of the trait has the most success.
the individuals with the extreme variations of a trait are considered most fit.

Explanation:

Stabilizing selection favors intermediate (median) phenotypes. It reduces phenotypic variation by selecting against extreme traits. For example, in human birth weight, very low or very high weights are less fit (higher mortality), while median weight is most successful.

• Option 1: Describes directional selection (not stabilizing).
• Option 2: Not true. Fitness is not evenly distributed; median has higher fitness.
• Option 4: Opposite of stabilizing selection (which selects against extremes).

Answer:

The population with the median form of the trait has the most success.