Question 9
During the 19th century, Charles Darwin studied the beaks of finches found on the Galápagos Islands. His work inspired 20th-century researchers Peter and Rosemary Grant to conduct a study on changing beak sizes of two species of finches. The Grants found that, during a severe drought, the larger birds with more powerful beaks were more likely to survive. The Grants' work revealed that natural selection removes
a
the fittest members of a population, causing advantageous traits to spread throughout a population.
b
the most unfit members of a population, causing advantageous traits to spread throughout a population.
c
all members of a population, causing advantageous traits to be spread equally among all members of a different population.
d
only the members of a population with disadvantageous traits, causing harmful traits to be spread among all members of a population.