Variations in Populations

AP Biology· difficulty 1/5

The graph shows the distribution of a continuous trait in a population before (dashed) and after (solid) several generations of selection.

Phenotype value Frequency before after

The shift shown from the dashed (before) to the solid (after) curve is most consistent with which mode of selection?

  • A

    Directional selection

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  • B

    Disruptive selection

  • C

    Stabilizing selection

  • D

    Frequency-dependent selection

Explanation

The whole distribution shifted to one extreme (right) without splitting or narrowing, which is the signature of directional selection favoring one tail of the trait distribution.

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