Question

A fictional population of cliff dwelling birds can be either red or black. Feather color is controlled by a single gene, with black being dominant to red.
A rock slide occurs, killing a portion of the population. The dots in the picture show the distribution of birds on the cliff face, and the birds within the circle were killed in the rock slide.
How does the final population compare to the initial population, and what is the evolutionary explanation for the change?

• A. The frequency of the dominant allele was higher in the final population due to mutations.
• B. The frequency of the dominant allele was higher in the final population due to sexual selection.
• C. The frequency of the dominant allele was lower in the final population due to genetic drift.
• D. The frequency of the dominant allele was lower in the final population due to natural selection.

Answer 1

The correct option is C The frequency of the dominant allele was lower in the final population due to genetic drift.

The decrease in the frequency of dominant allele due to rock slide is termed as genetic drift. This occurs in small population where the allelic frequency gets drastically altered due a natural calamity

So, the correct answer is 'The frequency of the dominant allele was lower in the final population due to genetic drift'