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Which of the following is true about genealogical ancestors?

A. The number of genealogical ancestors increases slowly through time
B. You have fewer genealogical ancestors than genetic ancestors
C. Every genealogical ancestor passes on genetic information to you
D. Only some genealogical ancestors are a part of your genome

User Ttom
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The true statement about genealogical ancestors is that an individual has fewer genealogical ancestors than genetic ancestors. Not all genealogical ancestors contribute genetic material due to the dilution of genes over generations and pedigree collapse. Therefore, the correct option is B.

Step-by-step explanation:

You have fewer genealogical ancestors than genetic ancestors. This is because not every genealogical ancestor passes on their genes to you. As one goes back in time, the number of genealogical ancestors in theory doubles with each generation, but due to pedigree collapse, actual genealogical ancestors may number fewer due to ancestors occupying more than one place in one's lineage (for example, due to distant relatives marrying). Additionally, the amount of genetic material you inherit from each ancestor decreases over generations, and it's possible that you have little to no genetic material from some distant ancestors.

Population genetics help explain the genetic relationships between individuals in a population. Each person carries alleles, which are variants of a gene, that can result from a mutation in an ancestor. Over time, allele frequencies in a population change due to natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow, which are concepts studied within population genetics.

User Theadam
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