When an extreme phenotype has higher fitness than an average phenotype in a population, it is an example of

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of directional selection, where the environmental pressures favor one extreme of the phenotype distribution, causing a shift in the trait over time. The higher fitness of the extreme phenotype means that more individuals with that trait will survive and reproduce, resulting in a gradual increase in the frequency of that trait in the population.

When an Extreme Phenotype Has Higher Fitness Than an Average