A founder event changes allele frequencies because
A) only a subset of alleles in the original population are represented in the newly founded population.
B) selection in the newly founded population differs from selection in the original population.
C) coalescent processes generate alleles that share a common history.
D) mutation is higher in the newly founded population than in the original population.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A founder event is defined as a type of genetic drift that occurs after a small group of individuals (founders) colonize a new habitat or become isolated from their original population. Due to the small number of founders, only a subset of the alleles from the original population is represented in the newly founded population, leading to a change in allele frequencies. The other answer choices are not necessarily true for all founder events.

A Founder Event Changes Allele Frequencies Because