What effect does genetic drift most strongly have on a population?
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Correct answer: Randomly altering allele frequencies, mainly in small populations
Genetic drift causes random fluctuations in allele frequencies, and its impact is greatest in small populations where sampling effects are more pronounced.
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More Evolution and speciation questions
- What is the consequence of gene flow between two previously isolated populations?
- Which condition must be met for populations to undergo speciation?
- What is the most common mode of speciation observed in nature, especially when populations are geographically separated?
- In allopatric speciation, which force tends to contribute most to genetic divergence between the geographically separated populations?
- Which scenario best illustrates peripatric speciation?
- Which type of speciation can occur even when populations inhabit the same geographic area (i.e., without physical separation)?