Question

Which one of the following is incorrect about genetic drift?

• A. A mechanism for the evolution of new species
• B. Founder effect is a special case
• C. Significant only in large population
• D. Random change occurs in allelic frequency in a population

Answer 1

The correct option is C Significant only in large population

Genetic drift is a mechanism for the evolution of new species. It is the variation in relative frequency of different genotypes in a small population, owing to the chance disappearance of particular genes, as individuals die or do not reproduce. Founder effect is an example of genetic drift. It is the loss of genetic variation that occurs when a new population is established by a very small number of individuals from a larger population. In other words, founder effect occurs in a small population that has arisen out of a larger population.