[Campbell Biology P.544] Based on the table in Figure 23.11b, what is a significant genetic ... | Practice Question

Based on the table in Figure 23.11b, what is a significant genetic consequence observed in the Illinois greater prairie chicken population compared to the Kansas and Nebraska populations?

  • A: The Illinois population shows a higher percentage of eggs hatched due to increased genetic vigor.
  • B: The Illinois population experienced a significant increase in the number of alleles per locus, indicating greater genetic diversity.
  • C: The Illinois population, despite a drastic population decline, maintained similar levels of genetic variation as populations that did not experience a bottleneck.
  • D: The Illinois population demonstrates a substantial reduction in both the number of alleles per locus and the percentage of eggs hatched, indicative of reduced genetic diversity and fitness.

Explanation

Figure 23.11b clearly shows that the Illinois population experienced a bottleneck, leading to a decrease in the number of alleles per locus from 5.2 to 3.7 and a drastic reduction in egg hatching success from 93% to <50% . This contrasts sharply with the Kansas and Nebraska populations, which did not experience bottlenecks and maintained high genetic diversity and hatching rates.