Which factor does not influence stabilizing selection?

Study for the DAT Quantitative Reasoning Test with multiple choice questions and detailed explanations. Hone your skills and get ready for your exam!

Stabilizing selection is a type of natural selection that favors intermediate traits and acts against extreme phenotypes. This process helps to maintain the status quo of a population's traits.

The correct answer highlights that changes in environmental conditions do not directly influence stabilizing selection. This is because stabilizing selection typically operates in stable environments where the average or intermediate trait brings the most adaptive advantage. When environmental conditions change, it can lead to directional selection, where traits may need to shift to meet new survival requirements rather than stabilizing around an average.

The average trait being favorable is central to stabilizing selection, as it indicates that individuals with traits near the mean are more likely to survive and reproduce. The elimination of extreme variants is also a hallmark of this type of selection since it specifically works against those outlier phenotypes that are less suited for survival. Variation in reproductive success among individuals is closely linked to natural selection, as those with advantageous traits will have better reproductive outcomes, contributing to the stabilization around the average.

In essence, while several factors support the mechanism of stabilizing selection, significant changes in environmental conditions can disrupt its action, making this choice distinct from the others.

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