How does genetic drift affect small populations differently than large populations?
A) Smaller populations can be transformed into large ones if genetic drift is sufficiently nonrandom.
B) Since genetic drift is a random effect, it has the same outcome in large and small populations.
C) An entire trait and its underlying genetic basis can disappear from a small population quickly, but may be maintained in a large population.
D) Since there are many instances of a rare trait in the large population, it is more likely to be selected out, and disappear, in that larger population.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Genetic drift has a more pronounced effect in small populations because random changes in allele frequencies can lead to the loss of genetic variation more quickly than in large populations.

How Does Genetic Drift Affect Small Populations Differently Than Large