2006-12-06 09:36:52 · 4 answers · asked by totallyclueless 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
In the wild, it is unlikely, but possible. In the lab, it happens all the time. Ask any drosophila geneticist or person that deals with tissue culture, you don't want it to happen, but it is inescapable.
Genetic drift is, by definition, a change in the frequency of alleles over time greater than what would be expected from random variation. Unlike natural selection, which stabalizes advantageous alleles, drift is pseudo random in that the alleles are not selected for (though could be linked to selected alleles).
Drift is most strongly observed in small, isolated populations. Often as the result of a bottleneck.
2006-12-06 10:33:18 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i don't think so. as i recall genetic drift occurs in small populations when traits are randomly "chosen" due to chance rather than natural selection. for example, a storm just happens to kill all the plants with a certain trait. it has nothing to do with that trait being advantageous or not.
but I am certain that evolution happens through natural selection, so in short, no.
2006-12-06 09:53:26 · answer #2 · answered by ♥perishedmemories♥ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
evolve is such a strong word..adapt is probably better
and yes it can..think about if theres a disaster and wipes out a large portion of the population, and happnes to leave a lot of recessive traits, now those will be in higher percentage and will 'dominate' so depending on what those traits are, a population can definitely adapt and evolve
2006-12-06 09:40:13 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
~ ~~ ~~~also known as the HEAT~OF~THE~MOMENT
2006-12-06 19:43:59 · answer #4 · answered by bev 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋