Select the definition of genetic drift.
A) Changes in allele frequencies in a population due to random fluctuations
B) Changes in allele frequencies in a population due to migration
C) Changes in genotype frequencies in a population due to new mutations
D) Changes in genome size in a species due to random mutations

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Genetic drift refers to the random fluctuations in the frequency of alleles in a population, often due to chance events such as a small group of individuals separating from a larger population (known as the founder effect) or the random death or reproduction of individuals. Migration (option B) can certainly affect allele frequencies, but it is a distinct mechanism from genetic drift. Changes in genotype frequencies due to new mutations (option C) can lead to changes in allele frequencies over time, but genetic drift specifically refers to changes in existing alleles in a population rather than the emergence of new ones. Finally, changes in genome size (option D) can also occur due to mutations, but they are not necessarily related to genetic drift.

Select the Definition of Genetic Drift