Which Situation is an Example of Diversifying Selection

Question

Which situation is an example of diversifying selection?
A) A population of moths with white and grey forms lives in a forest containing trees with light and dark bark.
B) Because bees prefer dark blue flowers, this color gradually becomes more dominant in a population of plants with a color ranging from light blue to dark blue.
C) A population of plants develops all orange fruit instead of a mixture of yellow, red, and orange fruit, due to animals showing a preference for orange fruit.
D) Wild cat populations gradually develop spots that allow them to be camouflaged in the dark forest.

Accepted Answer

Diversifying selection occurs when a population of organisms has variability in a trait, and different variations of the trait are favored in different environments. In this example, the forest contains trees with different colored bark, and the white and grey forms of moths have different degrees of camouflage on these trees. Therefore, both forms of moths are favored in different environments, resulting in diversifying selection. The other options describe directional selection, stabilizing selection, and sexual selection, respectively.