The volcano is currently dormant, but in a hypothetical future scenario, satellite cones at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro spew sulfurous gases and lava, destroying all life located between the base and 6,000 feet above sea level. As a result of this catastrophe, how should the frequency of the sickle-cell allele change in the remnant human population that survives above 6,000 feet, and which phenomenon accounts for this change in allele frequency?
A) decreases; disruptive selection
B) increases; genetic drift
C) decreases; gene flow
D) increases; nonrandom mating
E) decreases; bottleneck effect

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The bottleneck effect occurs when a large portion of a population is suddenly eliminated, leaving a small, random sample of individuals to repopulate. This can lead to significant changes in allele frequencies due to the reduced genetic diversity, including the sickle-cell allele if it was present in the original population.

The Volcano Is Currently Dormant, but in a Hypothetical Future