Natural selection acts on populations in three primary ways based on the distribution of phenotypes. These are Stabilizing selection, Directional selection, and Disruptive selection.
(a) Stabilisation: This is a recognized outcome where natural selection favors intermediate phenotypes, reducing variation.
(b) Genetic Drift: This is a mechanism of evolution caused by random chance, not by natural selection. Therefore, it is excluded.
(c) Directional change: This is a recognized outcome where natural selection favors one extreme phenotype over the other, causing a shift in the population mean.
(d) Disruption: This is a recognized outcome (Disruptive selection) where natural selection favors both extreme phenotypes over intermediate ones.
Since (a), (c), and (d) are all modes of natural selection, the correct combination is (a), (c), and (d).
Final Answer: (a), (c) and (d) only
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