What does a change in allele frequency due to chance events, rather than natural selection, refer to?

What does a change in allele frequency due to chance events, rather than natural selection, refer to?

• A. Genetic Drift
• B. Natural Selection
• C. Genetic Equilibrium
• D. Population Shift

Answer: (A)

The concept of a change in allele frequency due to chance events rather than natural selection is known as genetic drift. Genetic drift occurs in small populations where random events can have a more significant impact on the allele frequencies. This means that certain alleles may become more or less common simply due to random sampling error, rather than because they confer any advantage or disadvantage in terms of survival or reproduction. For example, if a few individuals in a small population happen to carry a particular allele, and those individuals reproduce, the alleles of the offspring will reflect the random assortment of alleles from their parents. Over time, this can lead to a situation where one allele becomes very common, or possibly even fixed, while others diminish simply by chance. This process is particularly pronounced in small populations, where random events can dramatically affect genetic diversity. Natural selection, on the other hand, involves differential survival and reproduction based on advantageous traits, which is a more directed process compared to the random nature of genetic drift. Genetic equilibrium refers to a state where allele frequencies remain constant over time in a population, and a population shift would imply a broader change in population dynamics that might not relate specifically to allele frequency changes due to chance. Hence, genetic drift is the correct term that encompasses the

The concept of a change in allele frequency due to chance events rather than natural selection is known as genetic drift. Genetic drift occurs in small populations where random events can have a more significant impact on the allele frequencies. This means that certain alleles may become more or less common simply due to random sampling error, rather than because they confer any advantage or disadvantage in terms of survival or reproduction.

For example, if a few individuals in a small population happen to carry a particular allele, and those individuals reproduce, the alleles of the offspring will reflect the random assortment of alleles from their parents. Over time, this can lead to a situation where one allele becomes very common, or possibly even fixed, while others diminish simply by chance. This process is particularly pronounced in small populations, where random events can dramatically affect genetic diversity.

Natural selection, on the other hand, involves differential survival and reproduction based on advantageous traits, which is a more directed process compared to the random nature of genetic drift. Genetic equilibrium refers to a state where allele frequencies remain constant over time in a population, and a population shift would imply a broader change in population dynamics that might not relate specifically to allele frequency changes due to chance. Hence, genetic drift is the correct term that encompasses the