Day 4

Question 1 – Explain Natural selection and its types.

Answer_

Natural selection

“It is process by which better adapted individuals with useful variations are selected by nature
and they leave more number of progenies (Differential reproduction)”

Type of Natural selection

1. Stabilizing selection / Balancing selection
2. Directional selection
3. Disruptive selection

1. Stabilizing selection (Balancing selection)

 More individuals of population acquired a mean character value.

 It favours intermediate forms & eliminate both phenotypic extreme.

 It reduces variations.
 It does not lead to evolutionary change
 helps to maintain phenotypic stability within population,
 therefore, it is called as stabilizing selection.

For example_
 More number of infants with intermediate weight survive better as compare to
those who are over-weight or under-weight.

2. Directional selection

 More individuals acquired value other than the mean character value.
 It eliminate one of the extremes of phenotypic range & favour the other.
 It operates for many generations
 Results in evolutionary trend within population & shifting a peak in one direction.

For example_
 Industrial melanism, DDT resitant mosquito
3. Disruptive natural selection

 More number of individuals acquire peripheral character value at both ends of the
distribution curve.
 Nature select extreme phenotypes & eliminate intermediate. Hence two peaks are
formed in distribution of traits.

 This kind of selection is rare.

 It ensures the effect on the entire genepool of a population, considering all mating
types or systems.