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Question #45595
The Question
A large, randomly mating population of Antirrhinum majus (Snapdragon) has equal frequencies of the alleles for red (R) and white (r) flower color. A severe environmental disaster reduces the population to just 10 individuals. Which of the following statements regarding the future genetics of this population is INCORRECT?
Options
- A.
A. The genotypic and phenotypic ratios will no longer align with the expected 1:2:1 Mendelian population segregation.
- B.
B. Genetic drift will exert a stronger influence on allele frequencies than natural selection in this surviving population.
- C.
C. The pink-flowered phenotype will be permanently maintained because incomplete dominance inherently prevents the fixation of either the R or r allele.
- D.
D. The population is highly likely to eventually become entirely red-flowered or entirely white-flowered due to the loss of heterozygosity.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Evolutionary_Exception
Tackle problems where standard rules evolve or change based on specific environmental constraints.
Concepts Behind This Question
Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium|Genetic Bottleneck|Flower color fixation
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Students frequently confuse 'Incomplete Dominance' (a physiological expression of alleles) with 'Heterozygote Advantage / Balancing Selection' (an evolutionary force).
The trap assumes that because the pink phenotype is a 'blend', the alleles are permanently linked or protected.
In reality, genetic drift in a bottlenecked population will blindly eliminate alleles, destroying the phenotypic diversity regardless of the dominance relationship.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Principles of Inheritance and Variation - Class 12 |
| Concept | Incomplete Dominance Pheno-Geno |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |