The persistence of malaria and sickle-cell anemia within a population best illustrates ____.
A)bottlenecking
B)balanced polymorphism only
C)natural selection only
D)artificial selection only
E)balanced polymorphism and natural selection

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that sickle-cell anemia confers resistance to malaria is an example of balanced polymorphism, where multiple alleles are maintained in a population due to their fitness advantages in certain environments. Natural selection also plays a role in this scenario by favoring individuals with the sickle-cell allele in areas where malaria is prevalent. Therefore, the persistence of both malaria and sickle-cell anemia within a population best illustrates balanced polymorphism and natural selection.

The Persistence of Malaria and Sickle-Cell Anemia Within a Population