page_title: Stabilizing selection
section_title: Mammals
hierarchical_section_title: Stabilizing selection / Examples / Mammals
caption_attribution_description: English: White Siberian Husky in snow
context_page_description: Stabilizing selection is a type of natural selection in which the population mean stabilizes on a particular non-extreme trait value. This is thought to be the most common mechanism of action for natural selection because most traits do not appear to change drastically over time. Stabilizing selection commonly uses negative selection to select against extreme values of the character. Stabilizing selection is the opposite of disruptive selection. Instead of favoring individuals with extreme phenotypes, it favors the intermediate variants. Stabilizing selection tends to remove the more severe phenotypes, resulting in the reproductive success of the norm or average phenotypes. This means that most common phenotype in the population is selected for and continues to dominate in future generations. Because most traits change little over time, stabilizing selection is thought to be the most common type of selection in most populations.
context_section_description: The Siberian husky experiences stabilizing selection in terms of their leg muscles. These dogs have to have enough muscle in order to pull sleds and move quickly. However, they also must be light enough to stay on top of the snow. This means that the leg muscles of the husky are most fit when they are moderately sized, to balance their strength and their weight.
caption: The Siberian husky experiences stabilizing selection in terms of their leg muscles, allowing them to be strong but light.
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