Question

Which of the following conditions will result in the D allele frequencies of a population remaining unchanged?

• A. A hurricane wipes out all but a dozen birds in a ovulation of Coastal songbirds.
• B. The females of a population of raccoons choose mates based on how many times the potential mate washes his face.
• C. Some members of a population of sunflowers are very short and cannot get adequate sunlight
• D. A population of Tasmanian Devils is confined to the island nation of New Zealand, and no Devils enter the island or leave it.
• E. Both A and D

Answer 1

The correct option is E Both A and D

The Hardy-Weinberg law or Hardy-Weinberg theorem or Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium is the fundamental law of population genetics which provides the basis for studying the Mendelian populations. This law was independently developed by GH Hardy, an English mathematician and G Weinberg, a German physician in 1908. This law states that genes and genotypic frequencies in a mendelian population remain constant generation after generation, if there is no selection, mutation, migration or random drift.

Thus the original proportions of the genotype in a population will remain constant from generation to generation, as long as the following assumptions are met:

1. The population size is very large.

2. No genes are input from other sources i.e. no gene flow takes place.

3. No mutation takes place.

4. No natural selection occurs.

5. Random mating is occurring.

option A is showing that no natural selection is occurring and option D is showing that no gene flow is occurring. Hence these two conditions will not result in change in allele frequencies of a population.

So, the correct answer is 'Both A and D'.