Question

Which of the following scenarios is an example of genetic drift?

• A. An unusually cool spring causes a species of firefly to begin reproducing in July rather than the normal mating period of June
• B. An earthquake kills 90% of all the long flashing fireflies in a population of long, medium, and short flashing fireflies.
• C. A long-flashing firefly migrates from its original population to a new population comprised entirely of medium and short flashing fireflies.
• D. Short flashing fireflies are more difficult to hunt and are eaten less often by predators than are medium and long flashing fireflies.

Answer 1

The correct option is B An earthquake kills 90% of all the long flashing fireflies in a population of long, medium, and short flashing fireflies.

Genetic drift is a drastic change in gene frequency due to a natural calamity. Here, the long flashing fire flies are killed due to an earthquake leaving behind only medium and short flashing fireflies.

So, the correct answer is 'An earthquake kills 90% of all the long flashing fireflies in a population of long, medium, and short flashing fireflies'