Question

A study of Alaskan sea lions of the same species found allele frequencies of E = 0.02 and e = 0.98. Which random process is most likely responsible for this difference between the two populations?

A) Natural selection favoring the recessive phenotype in the Alaskan population.
B) An increase in reproductive fitness for heterozygotes in the Californian population.
C) Several individuals from the Alaskan population migrated to the Californian population.
D) A small, founding group of Californian sea lions initially formed the Alaskan population.

Answer 1

D) A small, founding group of Californian sea lions initially formed the Alaskan population.

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Answer 2

A) Natural selection favouring the recessive phenotype in the Alaskan populatrion.

Step-by-step explanation:

• Natural selection allows only fitter traits to survive.
• Natural selection can change the frequency of alleles in a population.
• The natural selection will favor the allele which will have fitness greater and its frequency will gradually increase while the allele which will have lower fitness will gradually decrease in population.
• Here the recessive allele e must have a greater fitness so, natural selection favoured it resulting in its increased frequency.