The change in allelic frequency of small population, purely by chance is called:
Correct answer: A. Genetic drift
- A. Genetic drift
- B. Continental drift
- C. Mutation
- D. Gene pool
Explanation
Random changes in allele frequency occur due to genetic drift.Genetic drift is the change in the frequency of gene variants (alleles) in a population over time due to random chance. This random process can cause alleles to become more or less common, leading to a loss of genetic variation, and its effects are most pronounced in small populations. Unlike natural selection, genetic drift is not driven by an allele's fitness advantage; it's simply the result of chance events like random sampling error in reproduction.
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About Evolution
Evolution describes heritable change in populations over generations through variation, natural selection and adaptation. Lamarckism explains inheritance of acquired characteristics, while Darwinism explains selection of favourable inherited variations; these historical explanations must not be confused with the modern genetic account of evolutionary change.
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