Evolutionary Forces Quiz

What is gene flow?

• The process by which gene frequencies within a population change due to random events

• The transfer of genetic variation from one population to another

• The differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype

• The mutation of genes within an organism

Which of the following best describes genetic drift?

• A mechanism of evolution that occurs when an allele becomes more common in a population due to chance

• The movement of alleles between populations

• The change in allele frequency following a dramatic reduction in the size of a population

• The process by which individuals with advantageous traits produce more offspring

Natural selection acts directly on:

• Genes

• Phenotypes

• Allele frequencies

• Genotypes

Which of the following is NOT a requirement for natural selection to occur?

• Variation in traits

• Differential reproduction

• Inheritance of traits

• Equal survival of all individuals

Gene flow can lead to:

• Decreased genetic variation within a population

• Increased genetic variation within a population

• No change in genetic variation within a population

• Decreased genetic variation between populations

Genetic drift has the greatest effects in:

• Large populations

• Small populations

• Populations with high mutation rates

• Populations that are geographically isolated

Which of the following scenarios is an example of gene flow?

• A flood randomly kills 90% of a population

• A few members of a bird species fly to a new island and join the population there

• In a population of beetles, the green beetles blend in with the leaves better than the red beetles, so more green beetles survive to reproduce

• A mutation occurs in a flower, causing it to produce blue flowers instead of red

The bottleneck effect is a form of:

• Gene flow

• Genetic drift

• Natural selection

• Mutation

Which of the following is a key factor in natural selection?

• The random distribution of alleles

• The transfer of genes from parent to offspring

• The survival and reproduction of the fittest individuals

• The migration of individuals between populations

Founder effect is best described as:

• The effect of natural disasters on population genetics

• The change in allele frequencies as a result of the migration of a small subgroup of a population

• The increase in genetic mutations following the establishment of a new population

• The process by which new species are created from existing species