The graph shows the changes in allele frequencies in simulations of 10 replicate
ID: 168724 • Letter: T
Question
The graph shows the changes in allele frequencies in simulations of 10 replicate populations. Which of the following is a reasonable explanation for what happened to these populations around generation 100 (highlighted in blue)?
a.
The population size decreased.
The mutation rate decreased.
Natural selection increased.
Migration increased.
The population size decreased.
b.The mutation rate decreased.
c.Natural selection increased.
d.Migration increased.
1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 50 100 Generation 150 200Explanation / Answer
In small populations, infrequently occurring alleles face a greater chance of being lost, which can further decrease the gene pool. Due to the loss of genetic variation, the new population can become genetically distinct from the original population.
In all likelihood, the graph suggests an event that drastically reduced the size of populations. It may have been caused due to various events such as, an environmental disaster, the hunting of a species or habitat destruction that results in the deaths of organisms. Following the event, the remaining populations experience higher level of genetic drift.
So, our answer is a. The population size decreased.
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