Question

Severe reduction in population size is called as __A___, and it increases the effect on ___b___.

• A. A = genetic drift, B = genetic linkage
• B. A = Bottleneck, B = genetic diversity
• C. A = Outbreeding, B = genetic expression
• D. A = inbreeding, B = gene pool

Answer 1

The correct option is B

A = Bottleneck, B = genetic diversity

When a population is on a decline, the number of individuals may reduce to an extent that the small group of individuals constituting the population becomes isolated and restricted in distribution.

These are then exposed to random genetic drift resulting in the fixation of certain genes.

Such reduction in allele frequencies is called a genetic bottleneck effect.

In a bottle neck effect:

• Some alleles present in the original population are lost.

• Population bottleneck reduces genetic diversity.

• As a result, allele frequency fluctuates.