In populations of the greater prairie chicken in Illinois, genetic diversity was lost through
A) mutation and restored by natural selection.
B) genetic drift and restored by natural selection.
C) gene flow and restored by mutation.
D) genetic drift and restored by gene flow.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the case of the greater prairie chicken in Illinois, genetic diversity was significantly reduced due to genetic drift, a process where allele frequencies within a population change by chance over generations, often leading to a loss of genetic variation in small populations. This loss of genetic diversity was then restored through gene flow, which occurs when individuals from other populations migrate into the population, bringing new alleles and thus increasing genetic diversity.

In Populations of the Greater Prairie Chicken in Illinois, Genetic