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Which of the following best describes the impact of purifying selection?

Correct answer: D. It removes variation from the population

  • A. It increases the frequency of an allele
  • B. It is the same as disruptive selection
  • C. It increases genetic diversity
  • D. It removes variation from the population

Explanation

Purifying selection, also known as negative selection, is a type of natural selection that acts to eliminate harmful or deleterious alleles from a population. By removing these detrimental genetic variants, purifying selection helps maintain the integrity and proper functioning of essential traits. As a result, it reduces genetic variation at the affected loci, ensuring that the population retains predominantly beneficial or neutral alleles. Therefore, describing purifying selection as a force that "removes variation from the population" accurately reflects its impact.

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