Match the definitions and examples below as pertaining to genetic drift or gene

Question

Match the definitions and examples below as pertaining to genetic drift or gene flow. In each example, assume that the color of the organism has no impact on fitness. Either Genetic Drift or Gene Flow.

a. random change in frequency of an allele in a population

b. transfer of alleles from one population to another population

c. a flood devastates a population of flowers so that only a few individuals survive. Immediately following the flood most of the flowers are red but some white flowers can also be observed. Several years later only red flowers remain

d. A population of birds living on the mainland is red while a population of birds living on an island is white. Several birds are accidently transported from the mainland to the isalnd on a boat. Several generations later both red and white birds are on the island.

Explanation / Answer

Genetic Drift: describes random fluctuations in the numbers of gene variants in a population. Genetic drift takes place when the occurrence of variant forms of a gene, called alleles, increases and decreases by chance over time. These variations in the presence of alleles are measured as changes in allele frequencies (Scitable).

Typically, genetic drift occurs in small populations, where infrequently occurring alleles face a greater chance of being lost. Once it begins, genetic drift will continue until the involved allele is either lost by a population or until it is the only allele present in a population at a particular locus. Both possibilities decrease the genetic diversity of a population. Genetic drift is common after population bottlenecks, which are events that drastically decrease the size of a population. In these cases, genetic drift can result in the loss of rare alleles and decrease the gene pool. Genetic drift can cause a new population to be genetically distinct from its original population, which has led to the hypothesis that genetic drift plays a role in the evolution of new species (Scitable).

The following are examples of genetic drift, based on the above information provided

The following are examples of gene flow, based on the above information provided

Gene Flow: In population genetics, gene flow (also known as gene migration) is the transfer of alleles or genes from one population to another. Migration into or out of a population may be responsible for a marked change in allele frequencies (the proportion of members carrying a particular variant of a gene:

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