What type of selection favors individuals with one extreme phenotype?

Directional selection is a process in evolution where individuals with one extreme phenotype are favored over others, leading to a shift in allele frequencies in a particular direction. This type of selection occurs when environmental pressures push a population toward a specific trait that is advantageous for survival and reproduction.

For example, if a population of moths has a range of coloration but one extreme color provides better camouflage against predators, those moths with that coloration are more likely to survive and reproduce. Over time, the frequency of that favored coloration increases in the population, demonstrating how directional selection drives evolutionary change.

In contrast, stabilizing selection favors the average phenotype and reduces variability, while disruptive selection favors individuals at both extremes of a phenotype, potentially leading to speciation. Sexual selection is a specific form of natural selection related to mating preferences rather than direct environmental pressures affecting survival.