The Dunkers are a religious group that moved from Germany to Pennsylvania in the mid-1700s.They do not marry with members outside their own immediate community.Today,the Dunkers are genetically unique and differ in gene frequencies,at many loci,from all other populations including those in their original homeland.Which of the following likely explains the genetic uniqueness of this population?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The genetic uniqueness of the Dunkers is likely due to founder effect and genetic drift. When a small group of individuals separates from a larger population and becomes isolated, the new population may exhibit a different frequency of alleles and genotypes compared to the original population due to chance events. This is known as the founder effect. Over time, random fluctuations in allele frequencies can also occur through genetic drift, which is more pronounced in small populations. As the Dunkers do not marry outside their own community, their population is likely small and isolated, leading to the accumulation of unique genetic traits.

The Dunkers Are a Religious Group That Moved from Germany