Question

An incidence of artificial selection acting upon a single population is described by

• A. Weak prey animals successfully hunted by predators
• B. Excessive rains providing additional water resources
• C. Males choosing the healthiest females to reproduce with
• D. An early warm front resulting in premature plant blooming
• E. Insecticides eliminating all crop pests except resistant individuals

Answer 1

The correct option is E Insecticides eliminating all crop pests except resistant individuals

Repeated use of the same class of insecticides to control the crop pests can cause undesirable changes in the gene pool of an insect leading to another form of artificial selection which is called the insecticide resistance. When an insecticide is first used, a small proportion of the insect's population may survive exposure to the material due to their distinct genetic makeup. These individuals pass along the genes for resistance to the next generation. Subsequent uses of the insecticides increase the proportion of less-susceptible individuals in the population. Through this process of artificial selection, the population gradually develops resistance to the insecticide. So, the insecticide then used eliminates all the crop pests except the resistant individuals which are an example of artificial selection which is being acted upon a single population.