Question

at the beginning of a research project on egg laying in seagulls, a researcher noted that the birds laid an average of 7 - 9 eggs per clutch. after studying the population for 15 generations, the researcher noted that the birds were now laying 3 - 4 eggs per clutch. what type of natural selection is occurring in the population of gulls? multiple choice disruptive directional there is no selection occurring in this population. stabilizing

Explanation:

Directional selection favors phenotypes at one extreme of a trait's range. Here, the average number of eggs laid per clutch has shifted from 7 - 9 to 3 - 4 over 15 generations, indicating a shift towards a lower - number phenotype. Disruptive selection favors extreme phenotypes over intermediate ones. Stabilizing selection favors intermediate phenotypes and reduces variation. Since the trait has shifted in one direction, it is directional selection.

Answer:

B. directional