A population contains short plants and tall plants. The short plants are not able to compete with tall plants for sunlight. The tall plants, however, are more susceptible to wind damage. Which type of selection will this population of plants most likely experience?
a. directional selection
b. disruptive selection
c. species selection
d. stabilizing selection

Stabilizing selection is a situation where there is gradual change genetic makeup in a population through natural selection. This change favors an average individuals in the population.

Examples of traits resulting from stabilizing selection include number of offsprings, camouflage coat color among others.

Other types of natural selection are

* directional selection

* disruptive selection.

marianaegarciaperedo marianaegarciaperedo · Answer 2 · 2020-02-01T12:15:13+01:00

Answer:

The correct answer is "Stabilizing selection" (Option D).

Explanation:

There are different types of natural selection: sexual selection, stabilizing selection, directional selection, frequency-dependent selection, and disruptive selection.

Balancing selection, also called Stabilizing selection, eliminates individual with extreme traits and favors individual that exhibit medium-range characteristics, that gets to survive. Selective pressure is against homozygotes, promoting genetic diversity.

Genes expressing extreme characteristics in a homozygosis state are kept in heterozygosis state, as a favorable adaptation to environmental conditions.

In the exposed example, short trees can not reach an appropriate amount of sunlight because of competition with tall trees. On the other hand, tall trees are good competitors for light, but wind damages them. Stabilizing selection eliminates individuals with extreme height and favors individuals that exhibit medium height, that gets to survive, as they are height enough to reach necessary sunlight, but not that height to be damaged by the wind.