The northern elephant seal was hunted almost to extinction during the 18^th and 19^th centuries.Less than 100 seals were left to contribute to the gene pool of their future generations.Since the early 20^th century,the elephant seals have been protected by law in both the U.S.and Mexico.Over 100,000 seals now inhabit the western shores of North America,all related to the small population that survived the slaughter of hunters. Scientists fear the elephant seals may be more susceptible to disease and pollution due to a ______.

Question

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The Northern elephant seals were almost hunted to extinction during the 18th and 19th centuries, leaving less than 100 seals to contribute to the gene pool of their future generations. This led to a bottleneck effect, where the genetic diversity of the population was drastically reduced. As a result, scientists fear that the elephant seals may be more susceptible to disease and pollution. Therefore, the best choice is D, the bottleneck effect.

The Northern Elephant Seal Was Hunted Almost to Extinction During