Question

You are an evolutionary biologist studying a population of bats in the rain forest in Brazil. Most of the population possesses moderate length wings, although some individuals have long wings and some individuals have short wings. Over the course of time, you notice that the frequency of moderate-length wings increases. You conclude that the most likely cause of this development is:
a. diversifying natural selection
b. stabilizing natural selection.
c. directional natural selection.
d. co-evolution.

Answer 1

Answer:

Option (B)

Explanation:

In the stabilizing natural selection, the extreme traits from both the ends are eliminated by natural selection and natural selection favors the intermediate trait. So over time individuals having the intermediate traits are selected over the individuals having extreme traits.

So here the population of the bat which possesses moderate wing length is selected over the individual with extreme traits like individuals with short wings and long wings. As a result, the population of moderate length wing bats increased.

Therefore the correct answer is (B)- stabilizing natural selection.