Question

List the ways evolution can affect population variation and describe how they influence allele frequencies.

a) Mutation, genetic drift, natural selection, migration; they alter allele frequencies differently
b) Mutation, genetic recombination, migration, gene flow; they lead to constant allele frequencies
c) Genetic drift, gene flow, genetic recombination, migration; they have no impact on allele frequencies
d) Mutation, genetic drift, natural selection, gene flow; they all decrease allele frequencies

Answer 1

Evolution can affect population variation and allele frequencies through mutation, genetic drift, natural selection, and gene flow.

Step-by-step explanation:

Evolution can affect population variation and allele frequencies through several mechanisms. These include mutation, genetic drift, natural selection, and gene flow. Mutation is the process of creating new genetic variation in a population.

It introduces new alleles into the gene pool, which can then impact allele frequencies. Genetic drift is the random change in allele frequencies due to chance events. It is most pronounced in small populations and can lead to the loss or fixation of certain alleles.

Natural selection, on the other hand, favors certain alleles that confer advantageous traits, leading to an increase in their frequency over time. Gene flow occurs when individuals migrate and introduce new alleles into a population. This can alter allele frequencies and increase genetic variation within a population.