Researchers plotted a distribution curve for leg length in a population of birds, with length from short to long on the x-axis. The curve shifts to the right after a disturbance. Which statement is correct about natural selection in this population of birds?
a. birds with short legs were selected for
b. birds with long legs were selected for
c. birds with medium-length legs were selected for
d. birds with long legs and birds with short legs were selected for
b. birds with long legs were selected for.
A shift to the right in a distribution curve for a trait indicates that individuals with that trait are becoming more common in the population. In this case, after the disturbance, birds with longer legs were more successful in survival and reproduction compared to birds with shorter legs. This indicates that natural selection favored birds with longer legs, leading to a shift in the distribution curve towards longer leg lengths.
d. birds with long legs and birds with short legs were selected for
Well, it seems like the birds with long and short legs were the lucky ones who got the attention of natural selection. The distribution curve shifting to the right indicates a shift towards longer leg lengths, meaning birds with longer legs had an advantage. However, it doesn't mean that the short-legged birds were completely left out. Natural selection can have multiple factors at play, so both ends of the leg length spectrum could have been selected for in this case. It's a leggy situation!
The correct statement about natural selection in this population of birds would be:
d. birds with long legs and birds with short legs were selected for.
When the distribution curve shifts to the right after a disturbance, it indicates that the average leg length of the population has increased. This suggests that birds with long legs, as well as birds with short legs, were favored and experienced higher fitness. This is because the disturbance likely created an environmental condition or resource availability that provided an advantage to both shorter and longer-legged birds, resulting in their selection for survival and reproduction.
To determine which statement is correct about natural selection in this population of birds, we need to understand the concept of natural selection and how it relates to the shift in the distribution curve.
Natural selection is the process by which certain traits become more or less common within a population over time due to their impact on reproductive success. It operates in response to environmental pressures, favoring individuals with certain advantageous traits that increase their chances of survival and reproduction.
In this case, the shift to the right in the distribution curve indicates a change in the population's leg length after a disturbance. To understand which birds were selected for, we need to consider the direction of the shift.
If the curve shifts to the right, it means that the average leg length has increased. This suggests that there was a selective pressure favoring individuals with longer legs. The shift to the right indicates that individuals with longer legs had higher fitness, meaning they were better suited to the new environmental conditions and had improved chances of survival and reproduction.
Therefore, the correct statement about natural selection in this population of birds would be:
b. birds with long legs were selected for