Explain how each evolutionary force can influence a population's allele frequencies

Question 1

What is the definition of allele frequency?

Answer 1

The proportion of a specific allele among all allele copies in a population.

Question 2

True or False: Natural selection can lead to changes in allele frequencies.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

What is genetic drift?

Answer 3

A random change in allele frequencies in a population, often having a more significant effect in small populations.

Question 4

Fill in the blank: __________ is the process by which individuals better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Answer 4

Natural selection

Question 5

What role does mutation play in evolution?

Answer 5

Mutations introduce new alleles into a population, affecting allele frequencies over time.

Question 6

Multiple choice: Which evolutionary force is characterized by random changes in allele frequencies? A) Natural selection B) Genetic drift C) Gene flow D) Mutation

Answer 6

B) Genetic drift

Question 7

What is gene flow?

Answer 7

The transfer of alleles or genes from one population to another, which can alter allele frequencies.

Question 8

True or False: Gene flow can increase genetic diversity within a population.

Answer 8

True

Question 9

What is the Hardy-Weinberg principle?

Answer 9

A principle that states allele frequencies in a large, randomly mating population will remain constant in the absence of evolutionary forces.

Question 10

Fill in the blank: The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium assumes no __________, mutation, migration, or selection.

Answer 10

genetic drift

Question 11

Multiple choice: Which of the following is NOT an evolutionary force? A) Natural selection B) Genetic drift C) Mutation D) Adaptation

Answer 11

D) Adaptation

Question 12

What can cause a population to deviate from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium?

Answer 12

Any evolutionary force such as natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, or gene flow.

Question 13

True or False: In small populations, genetic drift has a larger impact than in large populations.

Answer 13

True

Question 14

How does natural selection affect allele frequencies?

Answer 14

Natural selection increases the frequency of beneficial alleles and decreases the frequency of harmful alleles.

Question 15

What is the founder effect?

Answer 15

A type of genetic drift that occurs when a small group of individuals establishes a new population.

Question 16

Fill in the blank: The __________ effect occurs when a population’s size is drastically reduced, leading to a loss of genetic variation.

Answer 16

bottleneck

Question 17

Multiple choice: Which evolutionary force can introduce new genetic variations? A) Genetic drift B) Gene flow C) Natural selection D) All of the above

Answer 17

B) Gene flow

Question 18

What is stabilizing selection?

Answer 18

A type of natural selection that favors intermediate variants and acts against extreme phenotypes.

Question 19

True or False: Disruptive selection can lead to speciation.

Answer 19

True

Question 20

What is directional selection?

Answer 20

A type of natural selection that favors one extreme phenotype over the others, causing a shift in allele frequencies.

Question 21

Fill in the blank: The __________ model explains how allele frequencies change due to the movement of individuals between populations.

Answer 21

gene flow

Question 22

How does sexual selection influence allele frequencies?

Answer 22

Sexual selection can lead to increased frequencies of alleles that enhance mating success.

Question 23

Multiple choice: Which of the following can result in reduced genetic diversity? A) Gene flow B) Genetic drift C) Mutation D) Natural selection

Answer 23

B) Genetic drift

Question 24

What is the main difference between natural selection and genetic drift?

Answer 24

Natural selection is a non-random process based on fitness, while genetic drift is a random process.

Question 25

True or False: Mutation rates are generally low, but they are a crucial source of genetic variation.

Answer 25

True

Question 26

How can environmental changes influence allele frequencies?

Answer 26

Environmental changes can shift selective pressures, favoring different alleles and altering their frequencies.