Question

in a population of birds, those with large beaks have higher fitness than those with medium or small beaks. this is an example of which type of selection? stabilizing directional disruptive

Explanation:

• Stabilizing selection: Favors the intermediate phenotype. But here, the large - beak (non - intermediate) phenotype is favored.
• Directional selection: Shifts the population towards one extreme phenotype. In this case, birds with large beaks (one extreme) have higher fitness, so the population will be selected towards the large - beak phenotype.
• Disruptive selection: Favors two or more extreme phenotypes over the intermediate. But here only one extreme (large beak) is favored.

Answer:

Directional.