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Multiple Choice
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria is an example of which of the following?
A
Stabilizing selection
B
Disruptive selection
C
Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
D
Macroevolution
E
Directional selection
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of antibiotic resistance: Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria evolve mechanisms to survive exposure to antibiotics that would normally kill them or inhibit their growth.
Review the types of natural selection: Natural selection can be categorized into stabilizing, disruptive, and directional selection, each affecting the distribution of traits in a population differently.
Define directional selection: Directional selection occurs when one extreme phenotype is favored over others, leading to a shift in the population's trait distribution towards that extreme.
Apply the concept to antibiotic resistance: In the case of antibiotic resistance, bacteria with resistance traits are favored and survive, while those without resistance are eliminated, causing a shift in the population towards resistant phenotypes.
Conclude that antibiotic resistance is an example of directional selection: The population of bacteria shifts towards increased resistance, demonstrating directional selection as the resistant bacteria are selected for survival.