Which type of natural selection favors the average trait over the extremes?

Stabilizing natural selection is the type of natural selection that favors the average trait within a population while selecting against the extreme variations. This process helps maintain the status quo for certain traits that are vital for survival and reproduction. For example, in many species, individuals with traits close to the average—such as body size in certain animals—are more likely to survive and reproduce because they are better adapted to their environment than those at either extreme.

This form of natural selection can lead to a reduction in variation and helps to enhance the overall fitness of the population by promoting traits that are already successful. It contrasts with directional natural selection, which favors one extreme trait over the average and the other extreme, and disruptive natural selection, which favors both extreme traits at the expense of the average. Sexual selection pertains specifically to traits that influence mate choice rather than survival traits in relation to environmental factors.

Understanding stabilizing natural selection provides insight into how populations adapt and change in response to their environments while still maintaining a core set of traits that ensure continued survival.