An earthquake decimates a ground- squirrel population. The surviving population happens to have broader stripes on average than the initial population. If broadness of stripes is genetically determined, what effect has the ground- squirrel population experienced during the earthquake?
A) gene flow
B) a founder event
C) directional selection
D) a genetic bottleneck
E) disruptive selection

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ground-squirrel population has experienced a genetic bottleneck, where a significant portion of the population is wiped out, leaving a small, non-representative sample of the original population. This can lead to changes in allele frequencies, such as the increased prevalence of broader stripes.

An Earthquake Decimates a Ground- Squirrel Population