What describes the natural selection process in which individuals at one end of the phenotypic range are more likely to survive or reproduce?

Directional selection is a form of natural selection that occurs when individuals at one extreme of a phenotypic range exhibit a greater ability to survive and reproduce compared to those at the other end. This means that over time, the traits of the population shift in the direction of those favored phenotypes.

For example, if a particular trait, like beak size in birds, becomes advantageous due to changes in available food sources, birds with larger beaks may be better equipped to access food. As a result, the population will increasingly reflect larger beaks over generations. This type of selection can lead to a significant increase in the average trait over time and can play a vital role in adaptations to changing environments.

In contrast, stabilizing selection maintains the status quo by favoring intermediate phenotypes and reducing variation. Disruptive selection favors individuals at both extremes of the phenotypic range while selecting against intermediate forms. Adaptive radiation refers to the diversification of a group of organisms into forms filling different ecological niches, often following a period of environmental change or the colonization of new habitats.