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?
A) population bottleneck and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
B) heterozygote advantage and stabilizing selection
C) sexual selection and inbreeding depression
D) mutation and natural selection
E) founder effect, inbreeding, and genetic drift

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The genetic uniqueness of the Dunker population is likely due to the founder effect, inbreeding, and genetic drift. When a small group of individuals establishes a new population, such as when the Dunkers migrated to Pennsylvania, the genetic makeup of the founding population can have a disproportionate effect on the genetic diversity of the new population. Inbreeding within the small population can lead to further reductions in genetic diversity, and genetic drift can cause changes in gene frequencies due to random events rather than natural selection. All of these factors can contribute to the genetic uniqueness of the Dunker population.

The Dunkers Are a Religious Group That Moved from Germany