AP Biology : Understanding Types of Selection
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Example Questions
Example Question #11 : Natural Selection
Which of the following is true regarding balancing selection?
All of these
It maintains variation in a population
It is the opposite of purifying selection
An example is heterozygote advantage
All of these
Balancing selection is a type of natural selection that maintains genetic variation in a population, making it the opposite of purifying selection. Examples of balancing selection include heterozygote selection, in which there is adaptive value for heterozygotes of an allele.
Example Question #11 : Understanding Types Of Selection
During which of the following levels of biological organization can natural selection occur?
Group
All of these
Gene
Individual
All of these
Natural selection is defined as survival and reproduction based on a specific phenotype. Phenotypes that increase reproductive fitness are “selected for” on different levels. Natural selection can take place on different levels of biological organization including gene, individual, and group levels.
Example Question #12 : Understanding Types Of Selection
Which of the following types of selection best describes the process in which fitness depends on phenotype frequency?
Sexual selection
Disruptive selection
Directional selection
Frequency-dependent selection
Frequency-dependent selection
Frequency-dependent selection is a type of natural selection in which the fitness of a phenotype depends on frequency. This includes positive frequency-dependent selection—fitness of a phenotype increases when it is common—and negative frequency-dependent selection—fitness of a phenotype decreases when it is common.
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