Suppose that the only population of a certain reptile species lives on an African mountain. If you could prevent all movement of individuals out of this large but isolated population, which of the following describes the most likely future of this reptile population?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Even if the population is isolated, mutations will still occur and genetic drift and assortative mating can still cause evolutionary changes. While inbreeding can lead to decreased genetic diversity and potential health problems, it is not necessarily a guarantee of extinction. The bottleneck effect would only occur if the population experienced a severe reduction in size, which is not stated in the question. The survival of the population depends on many factors, including environmental changes, so option E cannot be a definitive answer.

Suppose That the Only Population of a Certain Reptile Species