Suppose that only two females and a small number of males are left in a population of a highly endangered bird. Although all of these birds are healthy, by chance, both females fail to reproduce and the population goes extinct. This extinction is best described as a consequence of
A) inbreeding.
B) genetic drift.
C) environmental stochasticity.
D) demographic stochasticity.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Demographic stochasticity refers to the random fluctuations in population size due to random events affecting reproduction and survival, such as the failure of the two females to reproduce in this scenario.

Suppose That Only Two Females and a Small Number of Males