On the Galápagos Islands,the finches that Darwin studied tended to have either small beaks or large beaks.The smaller beaks are best at eating soft seeds but are ineffective at cracking large seeds.The larger beaks are best at cracking hard seeds.Beaks of intermediate size are inefficient for either seed type.Which result of natural selection is at work in this example?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Disruptive selection favors extreme traits over intermediate ones, which is what is seen in the Galápagos finches. The small beaks are best for soft seeds, and the large beaks are best for hard seeds, so intermediate beaks are at a disadvantage.

On the Galápagos Islands,the Finches That Darwin Studied Tended to Have