Question

The North American bison was hunted to near-extinction in the 1800s. It has since recovered, but with decreased genetic diversity. This is an example of

A. founder effect.
B. a bottleneck effect.
C. natural selection.
D. increased mutation rate.
E. artificial selection.

Answer 1

The recovery of the North American bison is an example of the bottleneck effect, where a large portion of the population is wiped out, resulting in decreased genetic diversity in the survivors.

Step-by-step explanation:

The recovery of the North American bison after being hunted to near-extinction in the 1800s is an example of the bottleneck effect. The bottleneck effect occurs when a large portion of a population is wiped out, leading to decreased genetic diversity in the surviving population. In the case of the bison, hunting greatly reduced their numbers, resulting in a smaller gene pool with limited genetic variation.