NEET Solved Paper 2019 Question 64
Question: In a species, the weight of newborn ranges from 2 to 5 kg. 97% of the newborn with an average weight between 3 to 3.3 kg survive whereas 99% of the infants born with weights from 2 to 2.5 kg or 4.5 to 5kg die. Which type of selection process is taking place? [NEET 5-5-2019]
Options:
A) Disruptive Selection
B) Cyclical Selection
C) Directional Selection
D) Stabilizing Selection
Show Answer
Answer:
Correct Answer: D
Solution:
- Stabilizing selection is a type of natural selection that favors the average individuals in a population. It reduces the amount of variation in a trait and tends to maintain the status quo for a particular trait. In this case, newborns with an average weight between 3 to 3.3 kg have the highest survival rate (97%), while those with weights at the extremes (2 to 2.5 kg or 4.5 to 5 kg) have a much lower survival rate (99% die). This indicates that the intermediate weights are being favored, which is characteristic of stabilizing selection.
BETA
