In a certain bird species, clutch size (the number of eggs laid by a female in one breeding season) ranges from four to eight, and the most frequent clutch size is six. This phenomenon is an example of ____ selection.

A) sexual
B) stabilizing
C) disruptive
D) directional
E) artificial

Stabilizing selection is when the selection pressure favors the average trait and reduces the extremes. In this case, clutch sizes of four to eight are possible, but the most frequent clutch size is six, indicating that there is selection against clutch sizes that are too small or too large. This creates a stabilizing effect on clutch size, where clutch sizes closer to the average have a higher likelihood of survival and successful reproduction.