A group is experimenting with selection in an insect species due to exposure to a newly developed insecticide, cpd AW143. The group has found that after 10 generations of exposure, the population is now bimodal in its response to the drug. Close to 30% of the population are completely normal while 70% live only about 1/6 of the normal lifetime. This is an example of ______.
A) threshold effect
B) stabilizing selection
C) disruptive selection
D) directional selection
E) additive genes

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This scenario is an example of disruptive selection because the population is splitting into two distinct groups: one that is completely unaffected by the insecticide and another that has a significantly reduced lifespan. Disruptive selection occurs when extreme values for a trait are favored over intermediate values, leading to a bimodal distribution in the population, as described in the experiment.

A Group Is Experimenting with Selection in an Insect Species