A certain allele of a helpful gene is rare in a species of gerbil. The evolutionary mechanism most likely to cause the gradual loss of this allele is A gene flow. B mutation. C genetic drift. D natural selection.

C. Genetic drift
Gene flow would increase the rate, mutation is rare and is not gradual, natural selection is not applied here since the gene is “helpful”.
Genetic drift is solely based on luck and chance in survival and reproduction.

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marianaegarciaperedo marianaegarciaperedo · Answer 2 · 2021-11-09T19:24:11+01:00

Rare alleles have the highest chances of getting lost under the effect of genetic drift, no matter if they are beneficial or not. The correct option is C. Genetic Drift.

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OPTIONS:

A) gene flow.

This evolutionary mechanism would not cause the loss of this allele.

Gene flow is an evolutionary force that acts against genetic drift. It introduces variability in populations and homogenizes allelic frequencies between them.

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B) mutation.

A mutation is not an evolutionary force. It could not cause the loss of the allele.

A mutation is a change in DNI sequences that introduce new variants. Many of these are eliminated. Some others might succeed and be fixated if they turn to be beneficial.

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C) genetic drift.

The evolutionary mechanism most likely to cause the gradual loss of this allele is Genetic Drift.

Genetic drift is the random change that occurs in the allelic frequency of a population through generations.

The magnitude of this change is inversely related to the size of the original population.

These changes produced by genetic drift accumulate in time. Eventually, some alleles get lost, while some others might set.

Rare alleles have the highest chances of getting lost under the effect of genetic drift, no matter if they are beneficial or not.

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D) natural selection.

This evolutionary mechanism would not cause the loss of this allele.

Natural selection, as an evolutive force, selects beneficial alleles and increases their frequency in the population.

Natural selection can act favoring an allele or against it, according to how it affects the fitness of individuals.

In the exposed example, this is a beneficial gene, which is why natural selection should have fixated it instead of losing it.

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