Outline7 marksChallenge
In a population of wildflowers (Centaurea cyanus), there is variation in petal length. Due to a change in pollinator behaviour, bees now show a strong preference for flowers with longer petals. The table below shows the percentage of flowers in each petal length category in the original population and after 10 generations of selection.
| Petal length (mm) | Original population (%) | After 10 generations (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 10–12 | 20 | 5 |
| 12–14 | 50 | 30 |
| 14–16 | 20 | 45 |
| 16–18 | 10 | 15 |
| 18–20 | 0 | 5 |
Outline how directional selection has caused this change in the petal length distribution. In your answer, refer to the data provided and include the concepts of variation, competition, survival, reproduction, heritability, and allele frequency change.