Question

Genetic drift is most powerful in ………………………..

A. stable environment
B. large populations
C. changing environments
D. small populations

Answer 1

Genetic drift has the most significant impact on small populations because individual events can have a larger effect on the population's gene pool, changing allele frequencies much more than in larger populations where such events have a diluted impact.

Step-by-step explanation:

Genetic drift is most powerful in small populations. Small populations are susceptible to the forces of genetic drift because they have a smaller gene pool compared to large populations. In such populations, chance events can significantly alter allele frequencies. For example, if one individual in a population of ten dies before reproducing, 10% of the gene pool is lost. In contrast, in a population of 100, the loss of one individual impacts only 1% of the gene pool. This difference in impact is why genetic drift has more profound effects in smaller populations. Events like natural disasters can exacerbate this by reducing genetic variation if they impact specific alleles more than others, as seen with the example of white rabbits being killed in a storm.

Answer 2

Genetic drift is most powerful in small populations. Option D is the answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

Genetic drift refers to the random changes in the frequency of gene variants in a population due to chance events. In small populations, the effects of genetic drift are more pronounced because chance occurrences can have a significant impact on the gene pool.

In larger populations, genetic drift is relatively weaker as the influence of random events tends to be diluted. Therefore, option D, "small populations," is the correct answer.

Option D is the answer.