You want to study divergence of populations, and you need to maximize the rate of divergence to see results within the period of your grant funding. You will form a new population by taking some individuals from a source population and isolating them so the two populations cannot interbreed. What combination of characteristics would maximize your chance of seeing divergence in this study?
1)Choose a random sample of individuals to form the new population.
2)Choose individuals from one extreme to form the new population
3)Choose a species to study that produces many offspring.
4)Choose a species to study that produces a few, large offspring.
5)Place the new population in the same type of environment as the source population.
6)Place the new population in a novel environment compared to that of the source population.
A) 1, 3, and 6
B) 1, 4, and 6
C) 2, 3, and 5
D) 2, 3, and 6

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

1) Choosing a random sample of individuals can help ensure genetic diversity in the new population.
2) Choosing individuals from one extreme (e.g. the tallest or smallest) can introduce a genetic bottleneck and increase the chances of divergence.
3) Choosing a species that produces many offspring can increase the rate of evolution and divergence within the new population.
4) Choosing a species that produces a few, large offspring may not necessarily increase divergence rates.
5) Placing the new population in the same environment as the source population may not lead to enough selective pressure to drive divergence.
6) Placing the new population in a novel environment can introduce new selective pressures and increase the likelihood of divergence.

You Want to Study Divergence of Populations, and You Need