Answer
Stabilizing selection favors the intermediate phenotype, an example of which is the average size of newborn babies. Neither extremes are favored and the population tends to gravitate toward the mean. Directional selection favors phenotypes that are skewed to one end. An example would be predatory birds developing higher speeds to catch prey with more ease. Disruptive selection favors both extreme phenotypes and strays away from the intermediate. This type of selection can lead to speciation, as the two extremes retrain from mating with one another and therefor restricting gene flow.
Work Step by Step
Stabilizing selection favors the intermediate phenotype, an example of which is the average size of newborn babies. Neither extremes are favored and the population tends to gravitate toward the mean. Directional selection favors phenotypes that are skewed to one end. An example would be predatory birds developing higher speeds to catch prey with more ease. Disruptive selection favors both extreme phenotypes and strays away from the intermediate. This type of selection can lead to speciation, as the two extremes retrain from mating with one another and therefor restricting gene flow.
