Seekh Logo

AI-powered learning platform providing comprehensive practice questions, detailed explanations, and interactive study tools across multiple subjects.

Explore Subjects

Sciences
  • Astronomy
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
Humanities
  • Psychology
  • History
  • Philosophy

Learning Tools

  • Study Library
  • Practice Quizzes
  • Flashcards
  • Study Summaries
  • Q&A Bank
  • PDF to Quiz Converter
  • Video Summarizer
  • Smart Flashcards

Support

  • Help Center
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Pricing

© 2025 Seekh Education. All rights reserved.

Seekh Logo
HomeHomework HelpbiologyDirectional Selection

Directional Selection

Directional selection is a mode of natural selection in which one extreme phenotype is favored over others, leading to a shift in the population's phenotypic distribution toward that advantageous trait. This process can result in a change in allele frequencies over time, promoting adaptation to specific environmental conditions.

intermediate
2 hours
Biology
0 views this week
Study FlashcardsQuick Summary
0

Overview

Directional selection is a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology that describes how certain traits become more common in a population due to environmental pressures. This process can lead to significant changes in the characteristics of a species over time, as individuals with advantageous tra...

Quick Links

Study FlashcardsQuick SummaryPractice Questions

Key Terms

Natural Selection
The process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce.

Example: The survival of the fittest.

Phenotype
The physical expression of an organism's genes.

Example: Flower color in plants.

Genotype
The genetic constitution of an organism.

Example: The genetic makeup that determines a plant's height.

Evolution
The change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.

Example: The evolution of whales from land-dwelling ancestors.

Genetic Variation
Differences in DNA among individuals within a population.

Example: Variations in coat color among dogs.

Adaptive Trait
A trait that enhances an organism's ability to survive and reproduce.

Example: Camouflage in animals.

Related Topics

Stabilizing Selection
A type of natural selection that favors average phenotypes and reduces variation.
intermediate
Disruptive Selection
Selection that favors extreme phenotypes at both ends of the spectrum, leading to two or more contrasting phenotypes.
intermediate
Genetic Drift
A mechanism of evolution that involves random changes in allele frequencies in a population.
advanced

Key Concepts

Natural SelectionPhenotypeGenetic VariationEvolution