Over generations, female reindeer in a Finnish population give birth to larger offspring. Which type of selection is occurring, and how would a distribution curve for this trait change over time?

Question

a. stabilizing selection; the curve would become taller in the middle
b. directional selection; the curve would shift to the left
c. stabilizing selection; the curve would become shorter in the middle
d. directional selection; the curve would shift to the right

Answer 1

The correct answer is d. directional selection; the curve would shift to the right. This is because larger offspring have a higher chance of survival and reproductive success, so over time, the population will shift towards individuals with larger offspring, causing the distribution curve to shift towards the right. Stabilizing selection would result in a narrower curve in the middle with fewer individuals on either tail, while directional selection would shift the entire curve to one side.