Asked by Carolina Arroyo on Jul 09, 2024
Verified
The Amish of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, have a higher frequency of an unusual form of dwarfism than the population at large. This is probably due to
A) natural selection.
B) bottleneck effect.
C) founder effect.
D) vestigial structures.
E) industrial melanism.
Founder Effect
A genetic phenomenon that occurs when a new population is established by a very small number of individuals, leading to a reduced genetic diversity.
Industrial Melanism
A phenomenon in which darker forms of species evolve in polluted environments, typically as a result of higher survival rate against predation.
- Elucidate the contribution of genetic variation in populations to the mechanism of evolution.
- Illustrate the impact of genetic drift, gene flow, and nonrandom mating on genetic variability in populations.
Verified Answer
DT
Destiny TorresJul 11, 2024
Final Answer :
C
Explanation :
The higher frequency of an unusual form of dwarfism among the Amish of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is probably due to founder effect. This occurs when a small group breaks away from a larger population and establishes a new colony with limited genetic diversity. Any unique genes present in this smaller founder population will have a higher frequency in future generations due to genetic drift.
Learning Objectives
- Elucidate the contribution of genetic variation in populations to the mechanism of evolution.
- Illustrate the impact of genetic drift, gene flow, and nonrandom mating on genetic variability in populations.