A: Different ecotypes of a species despite being genotypically different are interfertile.
R: They are locally natural selections from a pool of genetic variations found in gene pool of a species.

Options

A. If both Assertion & Reason are true and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion
B. It both Assertion & Reason are true but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion
C. If Assertion is true statement but Reason is false
D. If both Assertion and Reason are false statements

Answer

To solve the assertion and reason question, we will analyze both statements step by step.

### Step 1: Analyze the Assertion
The assertion states: "Different ecotypes of a species despite being genotypically different are interfertile."
- **Understanding Ecotypes**: Ecotypes are variations of a species that have adapted to specific environmental conditions.
- **Interfertility**: The term "interfertile" means that these different ecotypes can still breed with each other and produce viable offspring, even though they may have different genotypes.

### Step 2: Evaluate the Truth of the Assertion
- The assertion is **true** because ecotypes of the same species, despite having genetic differences, can still interbreed. This is a common occurrence in nature where variations arise due to adaptation to local environments.

### Step 3: Analyze the Reason
The reason states: "They are locally natural selections from a pool of genetic variations found in the gene pool of a species."
- **Natural Selection**: This refers to the process where certain traits become more or less common in a population due to the survival and reproductive advantages they confer.
- **Gene Pool**: The gene pool of a species includes all the genetic information available within that species, which allows for variations among ecotypes.

### Step 4: Evaluate the Truth of the Reason
- The reason is also **true**. Different ecotypes arise from local adaptations through natural selection acting on the genetic variations present in the gene pool of the species.

### Step 5: Determine the Relationship Between Assertion and Reason
- The reason explains why the assertion is true. The interfertility of ecotypes is a result of them being adaptations from a shared gene pool influenced by natural selection.

### Conclusion
Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason correctly explains the assertion. Therefore, the answer is:
**Option 1: Both assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.**

---