Mechanisms of Population Genetic Variation Quiz

Mutation, recombination, and gene flow contribute to genetic variation.

It results in a significant reduction of genetic diversity due to the loss of alleles.

It favors advantageous traits, leading to their increased prevalence in subsequent generations.

It limits genetic variation due to the smaller gene pool of the founding individuals.

While synonymous mutations preserve the amino acid sequence, nonsynonymous mutations alter it.

It assesses the stability of allele frequencies in a population over generations.

It leads to reduced genetic diversity due to the limited gene pool of the founders.

With fewer individuals, random fluctuations have a larger impact on allele frequencies.

While directional selection favors one extreme phenotype, stabilizing selection maintains the intermediate phenotype.

Prevents mating or fertilization between individuals of different populations, maintaining genetic divergence.

It results from natural selection favoring specific alleles, leading to their dominance.

It creates new combinations of alleles, increasing genetic diversity.

It introduces new combinations of alleles, promoting genetic diversity and potentially adaptation.

It leads to random changes in allele frequencies, particularly impactful in smaller populations.

It challenges the notion that natural selection is the sole driver of molecular evolution, suggesting a substantial role for genetic drift.