If You Sampled the Genetic Characteristics of a Large Population

question 37

Multiple Choice

If you sampled the genetic characteristics of a large population and found that of the 50 loci analyzed there is very little, if any, variation, the most likely explanation is that

• A)a uniform environment selected for these alleles.
• B)there has been a lack of migration, and the genetic equilibrium stabilized the population.
• C)strong selection pressures eliminated alternative alleles.
• D)a bottleneck effect may have occurred in the past to reduce the variability in the population.
• E)a combination of low mutation rates and differential sexual selection produced these results.

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Definitions:

Cetaceans

A group of marine mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises, characterized by their fully aquatic lifestyle and adaptations such as flippers and blowholes.

Pakicetus

An extinct genus of early whales that is considered a crucial link in the evolution from land mammals to aquatic cetaceans.

Indohyus

An extinct genus of even-toed ungulates that is considered an early ancestor to modern whales, highlighting the evolution of aquatic mammals.

Extinct Organisms

Species that no longer exist anywhere on Earth, often as a result of natural evolutionary processes, environmental changes, or human activity.