Multiple Choice
In which of the following situations would genetic drift most likely cause evolution?
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22. Evolution of Populations
Genetic Drift
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Which of the following scenarios is most likely an example of genetic drift resulting from the founder effect?
A
A forest fire randomly kills a portion of a squirrel population, altering allele frequencies.
B
A large population of fish experiences a sudden drop in numbers due to overfishing, reducing genetic diversity.
C
A population of insects develops resistance to a pesticide over several generations.
D
A small group of birds colonizes a new island, leading to a population with different allele frequencies than the mainland population.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the concept of genetic drift: Genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution that refers to random changes in the frequency of alleles in a population. It is more pronounced in small populations.
Learn about the founder effect: The founder effect is a type of genetic drift that occurs when a small group of individuals becomes isolated from a larger population. This small group may have different allele frequencies than the original population, leading to reduced genetic diversity.
Analyze the scenarios: Each scenario describes a different situation that could affect allele frequencies in a population.
Identify the scenario that matches the founder effect: Look for a scenario where a small group of individuals starts a new population, leading to different allele frequencies compared to the original population.
Conclude with the correct scenario: The scenario where a small group of birds colonizes a new island is an example of the founder effect, as it involves a small group starting a new population with potentially different allele frequencies.
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