Blue poppies native to China were grown at a plant-breeding center in California. The plants with the thickest leaves were most
likely to survive and reproduce in the drier climate. After several generations, the percentage of thick-leaved plants had increased by 42%. This adaptation of the poppies to their new environment is due to __________. a. genetic drift b. neutral variation c. disruptive selection d. directional selection e. stabilizing selection
