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Please help with this genetics question. If possible, explain your reasoning. Thank you ! When a...

Please help with this genetics question. If possible, explain your reasoning. Thank you !

When a population is reduced to a very small number of breeding individuals, random genetic changes

called occur. As a result of these kinds of changes,

  • variation in genotypes and phenotypes will probably increase compared with the amount of variation present in the original population TRUE OR FALSE?

  • genotypes and phenotypes are likely to occur at different frequencies in both the original and reduced populations TRUE OR FALSE?

  • the reduced population will have a higher probability of extinction than a similar but larger populationTRUE OR FALSE?

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Answer #1
  • When a population is reduced to a very small number of breeding individuals, random genetic changes called genetic drift occur.

Gene pool is the sum of all genes present in the individuals of a population. Larger the size of population, larger and rich will be gene pool. When a population is reduced to very small number due to either bottleneck effect or founders effect, the gene pool is drastically reduced. It leads to changes in gene frequencies.

  • As a result of these kinds of changes, variation in genotypes and phenotypes will probably increase compared with the amount of variation present in the original population: False.

As a result of genetic drift, gene pool is reduced. This means lesser variations in the population. Hence, this statement is false.

  • Genotypes and phenotypes are likely to occur at different frequencies in both the original and reduced populations: True

This is true because the reduced population may randomly contain one type of individuals or a group, which may not truly represent the allelic frequency of whole population.

  • The reduced population will have a higher probability of extinction than a similar but larger population: True.

Smaller populations face the danger of inbreeding depression which further reduce the gene pool and lead to a reduction in heterozygosity in future generation. This makes them less adaptable to changing environmental conditions or other external forces.

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