In your backyard, you step on a dandelion and one of its seeds gets trapped in the tread of your shoes. The next day, you go on a long hike in the wilderness wearing the same shoes. When you step in a mud puddle, the seed sticks in the mud. The seed grows into a dandelion, but no other dandelions are present to mate with it. This is an example of
A)gene flow.
B)genetic drift.
C)natural selection.
D)sexual selection.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This situation is an example of genetic drift because the dandelion seed that grew into a new plant was the only individual of its kind in the area. Without any other dandelions to mate with, its genetic makeup would become increasingly isolated from the original population over time.

In Your Backyard, You Step on a Dandelion and One