The observation that very large and very small human newborns have above-average mortality (death) rates is an example of what?
A. Directional selection
B. Disruptive selection
C. Stabilizing selection
D. Natural selection
2007-07-24 02:24:13 · 3 answers · asked by ♥Anonymous♥ 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
C. Stabilizing selection
2007-07-25 01:26:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
C. Stabilizing selection.
Stabilizing selection means that it's good to be average and not as good to be either of the extremes. In the case of birthweight, smaller babies have more physical problems and bigger babies may have more difficulty in the birth process, especially in countries where hospital births are not the norm.
Directional selection favors one extreme over the average and the other extreme.
Disruptional selection favors both extremes over the average.
Natural selection governs all of the above, but it doesn't really belong in this category. It's just a distractor in the question.
2007-07-24 09:22:45 · answer #2 · answered by ecolink 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
C.. In this type of selection the extremes of a trait are selected against.
2007-07-24 03:06:57 · answer #3 · answered by ATP-Man 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋