If a population is in stasis (an unchanging state), then
A) the population is in its natural state.
B) natural selection is not acting on the population.
C) the most common type of individual is consistently favored by stabilizing selection.
D) the most common type of individual is consistently favored by disruptive selection.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Stasis occurs when there is little to no change in the environment or selective pressures acting on a population. As a result, stabilizing selection favors individuals with intermediate traits and removes extreme variants from the population. This results in a consistent frequency of the most common type of individual, leading to stasis. Therefore, choice C is the best answer. A, B, and D are incorrect because stasis does not necessarily indicate a population's natural state, natural selection may still be acting on the population, and disruptive selection would lead to an increase in variation, which is not observed in a population in stasis.

If a Population Is in Stasis (An Unchanging State), Then