Question

A plant population of the same species comprises individuals with flower colours ranging from yellow to red. Bees mostly visit the yellow flowers and transfer their pollen (gametes), but very seldom visit red flowers. Birds visit the red flowers and transfer their pollen, but seldom visit the yellow ones.

What microevolutionary force is being imposed on this plant population by the bees and birds?

Select one:

(ii) and (iii)

(iii) Assortative mating

(ii) Disruptive selection

(i) and (ii)

(i) Gene flow

Answer 1

Assortative mating amd disruptive selection is the answer. (II and III)

Assortative mating is the opposite of random mating. Assortative mating involves the mating between one kind of individuals. In this case, Bee provides the assortative mating between yellow colored flower.

The bird provides assortative mating between red colored flower.

Disruptive selection occurs when intermediate types are decreased in a population. In this case, red and yellow are found more in number as compared to the other colored flower because of assortative mating.

why other option wrong:

Gene flow occurs between the population. But here this condition is not specified.