Which of the following is true regarding the relative importance of drift and selection?
A) Populations are large and well mixed, so natural selection is more important.
B) Populations are networks of small groups that occasionally exchange alleles, so genetic drift is more important.
C) Most of the molecular variation in genomes does not influence phenotypes, so genetic drift is more important.
D) none of the above; scientists continue to debate the relative importance of drift and selection

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The relative importance of genetic drift versus natural selection in shaping genetic variation and evolutionary trajectories is a complex and ongoing debate in evolutionary biology. Factors such as population size, gene flow, and the nature of genetic variation (neutral versus adaptive) can influence the relative roles of these mechanisms, leading to no definitive answer that applies universally across all contexts.

Which of the Following Is True Regarding the Relative Importance