Some rats in a depleted forest have an allele that makes them smaller than normal rats, it is easier for the small rats to hide from predators in the bushes. the allele frequency will cause the population of rats to drift to survival of smaller sized rats. this phenomemnone is termed as Genetic drift.
What is Genetic drift?
- As a result of a chance or random event, the frequency of an allele in a population drifts over time compared to the frequency of the other alleles. this is termed as genetic drift.
How does genetic drift lead to survival of small rats?
- The change in the population is caused due to a random event of Forest logging which removes trees leaving behind only smaller bushes.
- Here it is easier for the small rats to hide from predators in the bushes.
- As a result there will be a drift in the rat population as bigger sized rats will now be easily exposed to predators while the smaller rats will be able to hide from predators in the bushes.
- this will lead to reduction in the population of bigger sized rats while the smaller sized rats survive and grow in numbers in the future generations.
- the small rat population increases by this genetic drift
Has genetic diversity helped or hurt the survival of the rat population ?
it has both hurt and helped the rat population. the small size rats got a better chance of survival while the big rat population was reduced.
learn more about Genetic Drift here:
brainly.com/question/1027688
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